ALEX McLeish hopes Aston Villa’s bumps don’t wreck his birthday celebrations today after insisting derby delight at Wolves would be the perfect present.

Villa travel to Molineux nursing a series of knocks with the manager refusing to reveal the exact injury woes to avoid alerting Mick McCarthy.

But McLeish, who turns 53 today, is optimistic the claret and blues will have enough quality to win their first local skirmish of his tenure.

Asked for team news ahead of the derby, McLeish said: “Chris Herd and Emile Heskey are out with long-standing injuries.

“I’ve got a couple of other niggles that I don’t want do divulge because I don’t want to give Mick McCarthy an idea of my team.

“We’re hopeful one or two will make it. Two or three days ago I was scratching my head and having sleepless nights who I was going to start and how I was going to accommodate everybody – to do that I would have needed to be able to field 14.

“But over the past few days there has been a few little sniffles and niggles so we’ll wait and see.”

Villa have not beaten any of their local rivals since a home victory over Albion in December 2010 and McLeish is looking for his first derby win.

They head to Molineux this afternoon hoping to prolong a 33-year unbeaten run at Wolves, which includes six wins and four draws in ten league and cup outings.

“Any result gives everyone a spark,” said McLeish.

“But in terms of the Midlands bragging rights, yes, our fans could do with that.

“There are a few battles over the season and of course it would be great if we could win, just the same as it would be great for Wolves.

“If we are going to win one at Wolves, we’ve got to play really well.