O'Leary awaits news on Milner
Aston Villa manager David O’Leary is still anxiously awaiting test results on James Milner.
O’Leary was initially led to believe a stomach upset had sidelined midfielder Milner shortly before Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Blackburn.
But there are now unconfirmed fears the 20-year-old, who also missed last night’s 2-1 FA Cup fifth-round replay loss at Manchester City, may be suffering from glandular fever.
“He’s had a series of tests and we’ll have to wait and see what the verdict is,” said O’Leary.
“Hopefully we’ll know more over the next couple of days. We’re keeping our fingers crossed because James is an important player for us.”
Villa skipper Olof Mellberg, meanwhile, has insisted the players have no-one but themselves to blame for bowing out of the FA Cup.
O’Leary’s side were just seconds away from a place in the quarter-finals when they led City 1-0 deep into injury time of the initial fifth-round tie at Villa Park.
But with virtually the last touch, rising 17-year-old City star Micah Richards headed home the equaliser to set up the replay win at Eastlands.
Goals from Georgios Samaras and former Villa old-boy Darius Vassell swept City into the last eight, with Steven Davis grabbing a late consolation.
Centre-back Mellberg told the club’s website, avfc.co.uk: “We can have no complaints.
“We didn’t play well enough over the two games, and they created far more chances than we did.
“We were hoping a good run in the Cup would help us in the [Premier] League as well, but now we have to lift ourselves for the last nine games of the season.
“We’ve lost two games together now and we have another very hard game at Everton on Saturday.
“It’s hard to think about that game at the moment because we’re so disappointed.”
