Nigel Reo-Coker hit by ankle injury

Nov 30 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

NIGEL Reo-Coker’s troubled season has suffered another setback with the Villa midfielder now nursing an ankle injury.

Reo-Coker limped off 71 minutes into Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham after reclaiming his place in Martin O’Neill’s starting line-up.

And the former West Ham captain is a doubt for tomorrow evening’s Carling Cup quarter-final against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

It is the latest blow for Reo-Coker, who is determined to reintegrate himself into O’Neill’s Premier League XI after their training-ground spat.

The 25-year-old forced his way back in for the win over Bolton when Stiliyan Petrov was suspended but lost his place to the skipper at Burnley.

“Just about 25 or 30 minutes into the game Ashley Young came over to talk to me just to say that Nigel Reo-Coker’s ankle was a bit sore,” said O’Neill.

“It was a wee bit swollen at half-time but he came out for the second half and then it was really irking him.

“I thought he did fine for us. He was probably a bit unlucky not to be in the side after we had beaten Bolton.

“We’ll see what he’s like. Stiliyan, of course, has been an excellent player now for us for a year-and-a-half and he is the captain and when we made the change for the Burnley game I thought Nigel was a bit unlucky not to be in the side.”

Villa also have concerns over Stephen Warnock, who missed the Spurs game after falling ill at the team hotel on Saturday morning.

“I’m hoping it’s just a temporary thing really because Stephen wouldn’t want to miss anything,” said O’Neill.

“We stayed in a hotel on Friday night and when the boys all left after supper everybody was fine.

“Of course there’s always a possibility of people being ill and he’s woken up on Saturday morning feeling unwell.

“At about 8 o’clock it looked as if he might be slightly better and then he got worse.

“The best thing to do was isolate him. Roddy MacDonald, my doctor, will keep me informed and I’ll find out what it is. I’m hoping it’s not too long but I don’t know.’’

Luke Young is on standby to deputise at left-back again with Habib Beye continuing at right-back after the duo impressed against Tottenham.

“Luke was up against a player in Aaron Lennon on top of his form and I thought having to change from right-back to left-back, although he played there for us last season, he did splendidly until he got tired in the game,’’ said O’Neill.

“He’s not played very many games for us through injury and his brother dying as well but I was pleased with him and Habib did fine, too, considering he hasn’t played that much.”

Villa have been drawn at home to Premier League rivals Blackburn in the FA Cup third round with the tie to be played at Villa Park on January 2 or 3.

They will be out to avenge their 4-1 defeat to Rovers at the same stage of the competition in January 2003.