Villa put Ciaran Clark on standby

Ciaran Clark is on standby for next week's Premier League opener against West Ham as the full extent of Villa's central defensive crisis emerged today.

Boss Martin O'Neill was unable to confirm when injured central-defensive trio Curtis Davies (knee), James Collins (calf) and Carlos Cuellar (hamstring) will be ready to return, with the Spaniard the only one likely to have any chance of making the Hammers showdown.

Reserve-team skipper Clark, whose only Premier League start to date was in last year's home win over Fulham, impressed alongside Richard Dunne in last night's friendly against Valencia and would be the obvious choice to step in. "The prognosis on Curtis is better than we first anticipated," said O'Neill. "He's hyper-extended his knee.

"At one stage we thought it might be months, now it looks like a couple of weeks.

"James has had a stop-start pre-season. This is one where you just have to put him back a bit. You don't try to go in when three-quarters fit. He is obviously frustrated.

"Carlos is anxious to get out and play but it's one of those where you just have to wait and see.

"I don't know the situation for the start of the season. Clark has come in and I thought he did really well."

Meanwhile, O'Neill confirmed Gabby Agbonlahor was rested as a precautionary measure due to the striker nursing sore hamstrings.