Gardner fit for Villa crunch clash

Villa defender Craig Gardner looks set to ease boss Martin O’Neill’s defensive worries after being named in the squad for tomorrow’s Intertoto Cup clash with Odense BK.

Gardner was s doubt for the clash after sitting out Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Lincoln with a groin problem but was included in the party which flew to Denmark this morning for the third-round first leg.

His availability would be a boost with the versatile 21-year-old able to fill the troublesome right-back slot – enabling Nigel Reo-Coker to resume midfield duties.

Martin Laursen will return at the centre of defence with Freddie Bouma expected to revert to left-back after playing at centre-back in his first outing of the new campaign at Sincil Bank - just 24 days after his 2007/08 season ended following Holland’s exit from Euro 2008.

He said: “I am fit enough to start - we shall see. Three days ago I had 45 minutes at Lincoln. If the manager picks me then I will try to play 90 minutes.

“It is not ideal yet. I needed an extended holiday because if I came back as soon as the other boys, then I would only have had 10 days off.

“That is way too short after a long season that ended with the European Championships.

“I didn’t have a long holiday but on the other hand it means that I have not lost much fitness.

“I was offered the chance not to play the other night but I hadn’t had any football in my legs for three-and-a-half weeks and I wanted to play.

“I came through 45 minutes and I wanted to be back with the team. I played and I travelled with them, and it is nice to be back.”

Bouma has warned Villa cannot afford a repeat of Tuesday’s “unacceptable” performance against the Imps, if they expect to reach the UEFA Cup.

He said: “It is the biggest game of the season already. We want to compete in Europe so we have to beat Odense.

“That is not going to be easy, so hopefully everybody is going to be focused, because the other night was unacceptable.”