Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill received a double dose of good news with Wilfred Bouma and John Carew both resuming training.

 

Striker Carew has been suffering from a back injury and has been missing from the Villa line up since November. Bouma dislocated an ankle in July during an Intertoto Cup match against Odense. Having both back in training adds further weight to Villa’s push for a top four position. Carew last featured for Villa against Manchester United but has so far seen no adverse reaction although understandably still short of match fitness. Bouma, who has been out for considerably longer, continues to make tentative steps forward. Nevertheless, with concerns over the fitness of captain Martin Laursen who is suffering from an as of yet undiagnosed knee problem, the up and coming availability of two main stays of his squad will add to the general all round confidence of the former Celtic manager that his team may go the distance this time.