Sat 21st Nov - Turf Moor
Sidwell: Struggled for fitness
Steve Sidwell has spoken of his desire to kick-start his Aston Villa career having finally resumed full training.
The former Reading midfielder moved to the Midlands in the summer from Chelsea for a £5.5million fee but has been beset by calf and knee injuries.
To date Sidwell has made just one senior appearance, figuring in Villa's Intertoto Cup game against Odense in late July.
But now the 25-year-old has been given the all-clear to join in full training and is hoping to make up for lost time, although he is not expected to feature in Thursday's Uefa Cup match against Litex Lovech.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill said: "It has obviously been a frustrating time for Steve, who was keen to make an impression with his new club.
"Throughout his career, he has managed to stay injury-free - until now. But he is now available for full training again and wants to play a full part."
Sidwell added: "To get these setbacks has been a blow for me after deciding to move to Villa but hopefully there is now some light at the end of the tunnel.
"You want to make an impression when you move clubs and it will be good if I can make up eventually for lost time.
"The club is really buzzing at the moment, in the top four of the Premier League and hopefully going to qualify for the group stages of the Uefa Cup, and it is an exciting place to be."

Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa - Thompson
Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa - Coyle
Warnock on England
Aston Villa 5-1 Bolton - Nicholas
Aston Villa 5-1 Bolton - O'Neill
West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa - O'Neill
West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa - Zola
Injury woes worry O'Neill
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 17:30 | Aston Villa vs Tottenham |
| Tuesday 1st December | |
| Carling Cup | |
| 19:45 | Portsmouth vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 5th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Hull |
| Saturday 12th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Aston Villa |
| Tuesday 15th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Sunderland vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 19th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Stoke |
| Sunday 27th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Arsenal vs Aston Villa |
| Tuesday 29th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aston Villa vs Liverpool |
| Saturday 9th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Aston Villa |
| Sunday 17th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Aston Villa vs West Ham |
| Wednesday 27th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aston Villa vs Arsenal |
| Saturday 30th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Aston Villa |
| Wednesday 10th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aston Villa vs Man Utd |
| Saturday 20th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Burnley |
| Saturday 27th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Aston Villa |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Burnley 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Tuesday 27th October | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 24th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 17th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 1 Chelsea | |
| Monday 5th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 1 - 1 Man City | |
| Saturday 26th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Wednesday 23rd September | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Aston Villa 1 - 0 Cardiff | |
| Saturday 19th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| Sunday 13th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 30th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 0 Fulham | |
| Thursday 27th August | |
| Europa League Qualifying | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 1 Rapid Vienna | |
| Monday 24th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 1 - 3 Aston Villa | |
| Thursday 20th August | |
| Europa League Qualifying | |
| Rapid Vienna 1 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 15th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 2 Wigan | |
| Saturday 8th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Aston Villa 1 - 0 Fiorentina | |
| Tuesday 4th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Oxford Utd 2 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 2nd August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Juventus 0 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Arsenal | 12 | 25 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 | 25 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 13 | 22 |
| 6 | Manchester City | 12 | 21 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 13 | 20 |
Pictures from Saturday's action where Liverpool draw with Man City and Arsenal lose away.
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Preston North End fan Hazel Fox was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill was delighted to see Stewart Downing make his debut for the club.
Chelsea continued their relentless march at the top of the table as Arsenal lost to Sunderland and Manchester City held Liverpool.
Martin O'Neill felt Aston Villa were good value for their 1-1 draw away at Burnley on Saturday.
Aston Villa left it late before securing a 1-1 draw against Burnley at fortress Turf Moor on Saturday.
Milan Jovanovic's agent has played down speculation that the Serbia star could be on the move in January.