Premier League preview: Swansea v Aston Villa

30 December 2012 13:06

Paul Lambert will be desperately looking for some answers in a bid to restore pride in his youthful Aston Villa side for the visit to South Wales.

Villa have leaked 15 goals in their past three matches to slump perilously close to the relegation zone once again.

It is not quite panic stations at Villa Park but pressing that button cannot be too far away if the slide continues at such a rate.

The last league win for the Midlanders must seem like light years away but it was only on December 15 and at Anfield - a 3-1 win over Liverpool.

But since that win, Villa have looked a shambles in defence and that would seem unlikely to change against Michael Laudrup's side.

Swansea returned to winning ways with a 2-1 win at Fulham on Saturday.

It was Swansea's first win in five league games and it was achieved without top scorer Michu who missed the match with an ankle injury.

But the Spaniard, who has scored 13 times in the league this season, could be in line for a speedy return, even though his replacement, Danny Graham, gave the Swans a first-half lead at Craven Cottage.

Things cannot get more desperate, meanwhile, for the Villans whose injury woes underline the seriousness of the situation for manager Lambert.

Lambert will be, once again, without Nathan Baker (hamstring), Richard Dunne (hip), Ron Vlaar (calf), Gary Gardner (knee), Andreas Weimann (calf), Gabby Agbonlahor (hip), and Darren Bent (hamstring) through injury.

But it is not all doom and gloom with midfielder Fabian Delph having completed his suspension and Charles N'Zogbia expected to be fit after knee problems.

"We know we're having to bring in some lads who are younger than the ones we’ve already got, but that’s the game," Lambert said.

"You have to get the best out of everyone. The injury list is what it is, you can't do anything about that."