Houllier keeps faith with Agbonlahor

Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier and his Sunderland counterpart Steve Bruce both named unchanged sides for the Barclays Premier League clash at Villa Park.

Houllier kept faith with the line-up which earned a 3-3 draw with Chelsea on Sunday. Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor had recovered from the slight groin injury which saw him substituted in the closing stages at Stamford Bridge.

Bruce named the side which overcame Blackburn 3-0 at the Stadium Of Light at the weekend. Midfielder Ahmed Elmohamady had recovered from the bout of concussion sustained during that triumph.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Clark, Ashley Young, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Downing, Agbonlahor, Heskey.

Subs: Marshall, Pires, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Bannan, Lichaj, Herd.

Sunderland: Gordon, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Bramble, Richardson, Elmohamady, Meyler, Henderson, Malbranque, Welbeck, Bent.

Subs: Mignolet, Zenden, Angeleri, Da Silva, Riveros, Gyan, Adams.

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)