Team news

Aston Villa preview
Aston Villa striker John Carew is poised to return for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with Hull at Villa Park.

The Norwegian international missed the Carling Cup quarter-final victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park in midweek with a hamstring strain.

Carew must wait to see whether he regains his starting spot as a resurgent Emile Heskey has netted twice in the past three games.

Central defender James Collins is again ruled out with a calf problem, meaning Carlos Cuellar will partner Richard Dunne at the heart of the back four.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill is looking for his side to maintain their push for European football at the expense of Phil Brown's side by turning a succession of draws into victories.

But he's aware that the Tigers have made vast improvements in the past months to climb out of the bottom three.

The former Celtic boss said: "The league is very important. We have to try and press on and turn some draws into victories.

"That is a top priority for us. We have got a really hectic programme up until the new year and we are trying to add a bit more consistency to our performances.

"Some of the draws have been very commendable but we are a couple of points short of where we were hoping to be.

"The Carling Cup win against Portsmouth was big for us and we will go into this game full of confidence." O'Neill is a big fan of the way that Hull have managed to hold on to their top-flight status and the way they have galvanised their current campaign after early season problems.

He said: "Hull are playing fantastically well at the moment. They have won some important games and it is really good to see.

"It has been a remarkable story up there. I think expectations got high after the great start to last season.

"But most people would have settled for them staying in the division and now they have made great inroads in the past month or so."

Hull preview
Hull are again without midfielder Seyi Olofinjana.

The Nigeria international has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury but should return to training next week.

Bernard Mendy could be doubtful after suffering a knock in a midweek reserve outing.

Craig Fagan (rib) is back in contention but third-choice goalkeeper Tony Warner is unavailable due to his wife giving birth.

George Boateng believes Tigers chief Brown has become a better manager since Adam Pearson returned as club chairman last month.

Brown's job was thought to be on the line at the time of Pearson's appointment as his team had slipped into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League.

But the situation has turned around with a four-game unbeaten run and Boateng feels the influence of Pearson, who has brought a pragmatic approach to club affairs, has filtered down.

Boateng, whose recent recall to the side has coincided with the good November run, said: "What has done the club very good recently is the change of the chairman.

"The change of the chairman has ultimately resulted in the manager managing the team better. He has said that too.

"Therefore the team has had better results and better performances over the past few weeks. It has been great for the team and everybody involved.

"Also for the manager, because he has had some stick, some bad press - I think he has handled that period well.

"The way to handle it is to get results and he is under no illusions results keep you in a job." Boateng, 34, is now back in favour after being dropped following the 6-1 thrashing at Liverpool on September 26. He was left out of the squad altogether for four successive games before being brought back for the vital Stoke victory four weeks ago.

However, it was the return of another player in that same game, the club's record signing Jimmy Bullard, that sparked the on-pitch improvement.

"As a team you always need someone to give you a lift and that was Jimmy Bullard," added Boateng, who hopes to feature at former club Villa.

Aston Villa vs Hull

Last modified 16:30 06/12/09

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James Milner is ready to become Aston Villa’s heartbeat in his new central midfield role.

Since Gareth Barry joined Manchester City in the summer, Martin O’Neill’s side have been lacking a player to really make the side tick.

But in only his second game since switching inside, every move seemed to build through Milner as Villa comfortably swept aside Hull.

It was clear the 23-year-old is relishing his new role at the heart of the action – and now he hopes to apply the lessons learned from playing alongside Barry.

He said: “I’ve learned massively from watching Gareth Barry. You’ve got to learn all the time from top players and Gareth was a top player.

“In England there’s Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and there aren’t many better players in the world to learn off there.

“You have to watch what other people do – in training too – and take the best parts of their game and put it into your own.

“If the manager decides to keep it that way I’m happy playing in the middle. You can get involved in the game.

“Sometimes if you’re out wide you’re waiting for other people to bring you in, but in the middle you can go in and start things yourself so it’s a bit different.”

Milner certainly got himself involved, popping up on both wings, pulling the strings in the centre, pressing Hull hard in possession and sliding in with a few uncompromising challenges too.

And after Luke Young and Emile Heskey had both dragged shots wide, it was Milner who threaded a pass to Richard Dunne, the centre half providing an emphatic finish for Villa’s 14th minute opener.

“The pass for Richard Dunne was really top drawer,” drooled O’Neill afterwards.

“If that had been played by, for instance, Lampard or Gerrard you would have said that was magnificent.”

Jimmy Bullard’s departure moments later due to a heavy fall after an aerial challenge with Milner neutralised the visitors as an attacking threat.

The feeling it was just not Hull’s day was confirmed when keeper Matt Duke rushed out of his area to head the ball to safety, only to see Steve Sidwell, warming up on the sidelines, ping the ball back to Gabriel Agbonlahor for a lightning fast throw-in.

Milner took the ball on his chest then coolly volleyed over the retreating keeper to make the game safe.

It was something of a surprise when Milner was not involved in Villa’s third, Ashley Young brought down by Duke after John Carew’s knock down, and the giant Norwegian striker tucking away the spot kick.

Milner’s displays on the wing are what have worked him into Fabio Capello’s World Cup thinking, with the England manager also using him at full back.

But Villa boss Martin O’Neill believes Milner enhancing his status as Mr Versatile can only strengthen his World Cup claims – even if his central performances will now be contrasted with 2010 certainties Gerrard, Lampard and Barry.

O’Neill said: “James is outstanding at the moment. If the World Cup was next month I wouldn't disagree that you would expect him to be in the squad.

“The England manager is going to have outright centre-forwards and outright defenders and quality midfielders to choose from.

“If you look at some player who actually has the versatility to play in a number of positions, and not just fit in there but actually make a contribution, that's outstanding – and that's where James is definitely scoring points.”

Aston Villa: Friedel 6, L Young 7, Cuellar 6, Dunne 8, Warnock 7, A Young 5, Petrov 7, Milner 8, Downing 6, Heskey 6 (Carew 77mins), Agbonlahor 6.

Hull City: Duke 5, McShane 5, Zayatte 5, Gardner 5, Dawson 5, Boateng 6, Garcia 5, Marney 5 (Vennegoor of Hesselink, 77mins), Bullard 6 (Fagan 18mins, 6), Hunt 5, Altidore 5 (Barmby 54mins, 5)