Gabby hopes to be back for Villa against Newcastle

Feb 4 2008 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

GABRIEL Agbonlahor's England dreams have been shattered by injury but Villa remain hopeful he will be fit for Saturday's match against Newcastle.

The seven-goal striker pulled a hamstring in a tackle with Simon Davies at the end of the first half in yesterday's game at Fulham and has withdrawn from the squad to face Switzerland at Wembley.

Agbonlahor was hoping to make his senior debut and Villa boss Martin O'Neill said: "He is particularly disappointed.

"I wanted him to go because he had earned that right to go with the big boys but he wouldn't have had a prayer of playing.

"He wanted to give it a try yesterday and came out at half-time with Stuart Walker the physio but he was feeling it a little bit.

"If anybody has earned a call-up, certainly he has.

"Gabby is an important player for us but we have to accept that these things can happen and we have to be able to safeguard against them."