O'Neill 'hopeful' of McCann return

Gavin McCann looks set to return to the Aston Villa team for Sunday’s Villa Park clash with Blackburn.

The midfielder has missed his side’s last three games with a calf injury but has successfully come through training this week, and Villa manager Martin O’Neill has revealed he is “hopeful” that McCann will return.

Striker Chris Sutton is unlikely to start despite his impressive appearance as a second-half substitute in last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool.

Sutton, who joined Villa as a free agent last month after being released by Birmingham at the end of last season, is still striving for his full match fitness.

Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel are set to spearhead the attack as Villa seek to extend their unbeaten home record.

Team (from): Sorensen, Taylor, Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Laursen, Bouma, Davis, Petrov, McCann, Agathe, Barry, Osbourne, Berger, Angel, Baros, Sutton, Whittingham, Gardner, Agbonlahor, Djemba-Djemba.