Gardner fills in for Villa

Craig Gardner is ready to help Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill out of a right-back dilemma by being fit for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League visit of Sunderland.

The England Under-21 player has returned to training this week after missing the 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth with a back problem suffered against Middlesbrough in the previous game.

Gardner is set to replace Olof Mellberg, who serves a one-game ban for his sending-off for two bookable offences at Fratton Park.

O’Neill has no other fresh injury worries as Villa look to get back on course for Europe after three games without a win.

Provisional squad: Carson, Taylor, Gardner, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Agbonlahor, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Petrov, Berger, Osbourne, Carew, Maloney, Harewood, Salifou.