Nigel Reo-Coker will again be missing for Saturday’s Wigan clash – but Villa hope to welcome the utility man back to face Blackburn the following week.

Boss Martin O’Neill confirmed Reo-Coker, who limped off in Saturday’s goalless draw with Doncaster and missed Tuesday’s win at Portsmouth, is nursing a hamstring strain.

He is expected to miss the Latics’ visit this weekend, along with next Wednesday’s FA Cup replay with Doncaster, but O’Neill is optimistic he will be available from there.

He said: “He has had a scan and it is a minor hamstring strain. Hopefully he might be fit for the Blackburn game.”

Villa will be able to call on Craig Gardner to face Wigan after he confirmed he was suffering no ill-affects from Nadir Belhadj’s cynical swipe in the first half at Fratton Park – despite being substituted in the second period.

Gardner said: “The ankle is fine. I felt it at first. I think the substitution was more to do with me not having played too much of late. The tackle was a bit wayward – I’m not going to cause a big fuss by complaining.

“He kicked me out of frustration.”

In other injury news, John Carew and Freddie Bouma both stepped up their comeback bids by each coming through 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Derby at Bodymoor.

Carew missed a penalty in the 2-1 defeat and Bouma played as a centre-back.