Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has received another injury blow with the news Emile Heskey is out for up to a month.
The 32-year-old forward, who has been in good form for Villa since Houllier took charge, sustained a knee injury in training on Tuesday and joins Gabriel Agbonlahor (groin) and Stiliyan Petrov (knee) on the sidelines.
A statement on the club’s official website read: “Heskey tore the medial meniscus in his right knee yesterday (Wednesday) in training, with no other player involved in the incident.
“The injury will require an operation and he faces between three to four weeks out of action.”
Heskey’s absence now leaves Houllier with only one fit senior forward, John Carew, available for Saturday’s clash with Fulham in the Premier League, meaning the Frenchman may now be forced to call upon England U19 starlet Nathan Delfouneso.