O'Leary set to rest McCann
Aston Villa manager David O’Leary has admitted that he may have to rest key midfielder Gavin McCann for part of the festive programme.
McCann has bravely continued to play on despite being handicapped by a knee injury for the past couple of months.
But the problem has worsened even though the former Sunderland player has done little training in between matches.
A demanding schedule of four matches in nine days over Christmas and the New Year period is likely to prove too much for McCann.
O’Leary said: “Will I consider resting McCann? Yes. I think he’ll be getting to the stage pretty soon when he has to do that.
“You never know with Gavin. He will play with his head or his leg hanging off if it is possible. That’s the kind of player he is.
“He has been terrific for us, the sort of player that doesn’t get many headlines but is appreciated greatly by his team-mates.
“I need bodies for every game – and it’s the same bodies – and I can’t say which game or games he might be rested for.
“I’ve just got to say: ‘Let’s see how things are day by day,’ and take it from there, but he has been struggling for a while and we’ve been wrapping him in cotton wool in between games.”
O’Leary is already resigned to being without another midfielder in Thomas Hitzlsperger until the New Year after his thigh problem has not responded to treatment.
But he will at least have Lee Hendrie back for the St Stephen's Day clash at Chelsea after completing a three-match suspension for his sending-off against Manchester City last month.
