Mellberg back for Villa

Aston Villa captain Olof Mellberg is available for tomorrow’s trip to Blackburn after serving a one-match suspension for incurring five bookings.

Mellberg’s return means Aaron Hughes will revert to right-back in place of Jlloyd Samuel, who has shaken off a virus but may have to be content with a place on the substitutes’ bench given the return to the side at left-back of Wilfred Bouma.