Makoun banned, Cuellar injured for Villa

Aston Villa’s January signing Jean Makoun will start a three-game ban and be unavailable for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League home clash with Blackburn after his red card against Blackpool two weeks ago.

Skipper Stiliyan Petrov, Barry Bannan and Michael Bradley, another of manager Gerard Houllier’s transfer window captures, will be in contention to replace Makoun.

Left-back Nathan Baker will be available after completing a three game suspension but central defender Carlos Cuellar is ruled out with the hamstring injury suffered at Bloomfield Road.

Aston Villa (from): Friedel, Marshall, Walker, Luke Young, Dunne, Collins, Clark, Baker, Downing, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Bannan, Bradley, Pires, Delph, Albrighton, Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Bent, Heskey, Delfouneso.