Gabriel Agbonlahor will likely miss Aston Villa's match against Arsenal on Saturday, as he has picked up a virus. It's good news that the striker hasn't re-injured his groin or pulled a calf muscle like half the team, but c'mon--this is getting old. Are we absolutely sure that Marc Albrighton's appendicitis is not contagious? Or that it's really appendicitis and not some new strain of plague that Villa are just trying to keep hidden from the media? Seriously, it's time to start shipping packets of Emergen-C and bottles of cod-liver oil to Bodymoor Heath because we passed the point of ridiculousness weeks ago.

According to the Birmingham Mail, John Carew should be fit to start tomorrow, and Nathan Delfouneso is one of about three players that has had nothing befall him this season, so he's ready to go as well. Yet Gérard Houllier wants to hold out on a late fitness test for Gabby. Yeah...what does that say about Houllier's willingness to use Carew? He'll be gone in January.

In news designed to make us feel better, Jonathan Hogg has recovered from a hurt ankle, which is reassuring as the Villa are running out of central midfielders, and James Collins is fit after suffering from one of the aforementioned calf strains. Whether we'll see Hogg or Ciaran Clark in central midfield depends on a complex equation not suited to one with less than one cup of coffee in her system. Also, the pumpkin pie is calling.