O'Neill starts Reo-Coker as a sub

Nigel Reo-Coker returned to the Aston Villa bench for today’s Barclays Premier League trip to Blackburn for the first time since his bust-up with boss Martin O’Neill.

O’Neill made one change to his last league line-up with 18-year-old Fabian Delph stepping in to replace Steve Sidwell, who remained sidelined with a thigh complaint.

Rovers made four changes to the side humbled 3-0 at Everton last week, the most surprising being the complete omission of Jason Roberts with Chelsea loanee Franco di Santo taking his place up front.

Blackburn: Robinson, Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen, Chimbonda, Nzonzi, Grella, Diouf, Dunn, Pedersen, Di Santo. `

Subs: Brown, Emerton, McCarthy, Andrews, Kalinic, Hoilett, Salgado.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Milner, Delph, Petrov, Ashley Young, Carew, Agbonlahor.

Subs: Guzan, Delfouneso, Heskey, Reo-Coker, Shorey, Beye, Gardner.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)