Gerard Houllier makes an emotional return to Liverpool with his Aston Villa side on Monday with his injury crisis showing no sign of ending.
Emile Heskey is doubtful to face his former side and Marc Albrighton is also another doubt – while Ashley Young is suspended.
Houllier is set to face Liverpool for the first time since he left the club in 2004 and the Frenchman insists he has no regrets over his time at Anfield.
The Villa manager left the club having failed to sustain a credible title challenge but he is not out for revenge.
“I think the fans will make it special,” Houllier said.
“I want to be proud of my team at the end of the game.”
“The board was patient as we tried to build the clubb. My former chairman’s word was that I put the club in the 21st century.”
To me they (the players) gave me enough joy not to have regrets.”
With just four wins in 17 league and cup games Villa need points quickly before they become drawn into a relegation dogfight.
Houllier added: “Our game is good. We need to improve in the final third. We have suffered with injuries and sickness but I don’t want to complain it happens.”
“We are on 17 points – five more and we are in Europe and three less, the relegation zone. It is difficult because sometimes you don’t have the personnel you need.”
“Some of our games our football showed we deserved the points but we definitely need to improve our focus.”
Emerging youngster Barry Bannan is also doubtful having injured his groin in Villa’s Carling Cup defeat to Birmingham in midweek.
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