Phillips Ready To Fight

Kevin Phillipsis close to full fitness but has said he knows he faces stiff competition to regain his starting place.

32 year old Phillips, who has said he is disappointed at how his Villa career has started due to injury, has four goals in twelve games this season and seemed to be forming a good understanding with Milan Baros.

He has been out of action since the end of November and told the Sun newspaper:

'I'm returning to a side that I won't be able to walk straight back into. The lads are playing very well, are on a good unbeaten run and competition is strong. I'm still getting a bit of trouble from the ankle but it's not too bad and I'm getting more confident.'

Adding that he is happier now he is back on the training pitches as opposed to being in the gym.

'I'll be doing turning and twisting this week and there's nothing left on my programme after that. I can do ball work for the rest of the week and just hope I can get back into the team.'

Baros appears to be O'Leary's first choice striker and Luke Moore has been preferred over £9.5million hit man Juan Pablo Angel. So it will be interesting to see where Phillips is in the pecking order. A fit Phillips would be straight in the team as far as I'm concerned. Trouble is, it doens't matter what I think!!!

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Go on, get vitalled!