Villa must decide whether to risk Emile Heskey in the Peace Cup decider after the striker admitted he is still suffering from headaches.

Atlante’s 3-1 win over Malaga at La Rosaleda last night has thrown Villa a semi-final lifeline, so Martin O’Neill’s men must now beat the Mexicans by two goals tomorrow if they are to top group C and qualify for the last four.

They may be forced to embark on that mission without Heskey, after the England star revealed he is not yet fully recovered from the head collision with Malaga defender Weligton, which saw him carried off with concussion in the sixth minute of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to the Spaniards.

Heskey said: “It was a nasty clash of heads. I can remember us kicking off the game. I don’t think I lost consciousness but after that I can’t remember anything, until waking up on the treatment table.

“I’m starting to feel better but my head still hurts.”