Agbonlahor struggling for fitness

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is again a major fitness doubt with back and hamstring spasms for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League clash at Newcastle.

Agbonlahor is to undergo a special fitness programme with the club’s conditioning coach, Adrian Lamb, to try and eradicate such problems after missing the midweek home draw with QPR.

Winger Marc Albrighton (thigh) and central defender James Collins are also battling to be fit while midfielder Chris Herd continues to recover from an ankle injury.

Provisional squad: Given, Guzan, Hutton, Lichaj, Collins, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Baker, Bannan, Clark, Petrov, Ireland, Albrighton, Bent, Keane, Agbonlahor, Heskey, N’Zogbia, Weimann, Marshall, Johnson, Gardner, Stevens.