Aston Villa vs Fulham: Barclays Premier League preview

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Aston Villa team news

Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar could be available for the clash with Fulham at Villa Park after groin and thigh injuries.

The Spanish player has returned to training but Villa boss Martin O'Neill will wait to see if there is any reaction before deciding whether to involve him.

Striker John Carew (hip) and full-back Luke Young (thigh) are also battling to be fit to face Roy Hodgson's side.

Brad Friedel is expected to surpass David James's record of 166 consecutive Premier League appearances on Saturday.

Provisional squad : Friedel, Guzan, Luke Young, Davies, Laursen, Cuellar, Knight, Shorey, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Barry, Sidwell, Ashley Young, Milner, Agbonlahor, Carew, Harewood, Salifou, Delfouneso, Gardner, Osbourne.

Fulham team news

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is not expected to tinker with the side which held Liverpool to a goalless draw last weekend for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.

Hodgson has an almost fully-fit squad at his disposal with only long-term injury victims Diomansy Kamara and Ki-Hyeon Seol sidelined.

Midfielder Leon Andreasen, who missed out last weekend, has fully recovered.

Strikers Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson should lead the attack, despite scoring only five league goals between them this season.

Provisional squad : Schwarzer, Zuberbuhler, Hughes, Leijer, Baird, Kallio, Hangeland, Stoor, Pantsil, Konchesky; Davies, Gera, Gray, Andreasen, Bullard, Dempsey, Ki-Hyeon, Etuhu, Murphy, Andranik, Kamara, Zamora, Johnson, Nevland.

The New Football Pools Pundits' Predictions:
John Barnes: Home win
Tony Cascarino: Home win
Graham Poll: Home win

Opta Match Facts

Both games finished as 2-1 home wins last season and 1-1 draws in the previous campaign.
In fact, last season's wins ended a run of five successive draws between these two sides in the top flight.
Fulham have won none of their last nine visits to Villa Park.
Villa have kept clean sheets in successive league games for only the third time in the last year.
Martin O'Neill's side have won only two of their last six Premier League home games.
Villa have scored at least two goals in all of their Premier League home victories in 2008.
Fulham have won only three of their last 42 Premier League away games.
But the Whites have conceded only four goals in their last five Premier League away matches.
Jimmy Bullard has now reached 30 shots without a goal this season, more than any other player in the division this season.
Only 19% of Villa's crosses have been successful this season, a worse completion rate than any other team.

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