Aston Villa vs Norwich City team news: Gabby Agbonlahor starts up front

Team news from Villa Park ahead of a huge relegation scrap

Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor (Getty Images)

Bottom club Aston Villa start with Gabby Agbonlahor up front for the visit of Norwich City in a six-pointer at Villa Park this afternoon.

Remi Garde’s men are ten points adrift of the Canerries and know defeat today will almost certainly consign them to a drop into the Championship. The Frenchman has won just once since replacing Tim Sherwood in the Midlands before Christmas.

Jack Grealish continues his struggle to prove his worth to Garde and is on the bench alongside Kieran Richardson and former first-choice goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Norwich boss Alex Neil, meanwhile, starts new signing Steven Naismith after an impressive start to life in East Anglia for the Scotland international.

Powerful forward Dieumerci Mbokani remains up front for the Canneries while John Ruddy missed out again to Declan Rudd in goal.

Kick-off at Villa Park is at 3pm.

Today’s line-ups...

Aston Villa: Bunn, Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gana, Westwood, Veretout, Gil, Agbonlahor.

Subs: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Grealish, Davis.

Norwich City: Rudd; Martin (c), Klose, Bassong, Brady; Howson, Mulumbu, O'Neil, Hoolahan; Naismith; Mbokani.

Subs: Ruddy (GK), Jerome, Bamford, Jarvis, Redmond, Olsson, Pinto.