Christian Benteke is set to make his comeback from injury against Manchester City with Paul Lambert insisting his striker is fit and rearing to go.
Benteke has not featured since Villa’s loss at Manchester United on March 29 after rupturing his Achilles in training five days later but is poised to start from the bench on Saturday at Villa Park.
Lambert told reporters that he will make a final decision on Friday if the play comes through training, after he had a successful 63 minutes for Villa’s Under-21s on Monday.
The Villa manager expects Benteke to hit the ground running once he is back to full fitness, ‘We’re not going to wrap him in cotton wool. If he’s out there he’s got to go and do it,’ Lambert said.
‘The main thing for me was his legs, lung-wise, and that lack of games. He will get there. His injury was the most important thing and he’s recovered from that.’