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Christian Benteke is back in training and Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert hinted that the talismanic striker could return to the squad to face Manchester City a week on Saturday.

Benteke has been recovering from a ruptured Achilles’ heel and it will have been almost half a year since Benteke kicked a ball competitively for the claret and blues in late March.

But following such a severe injury will the big Belgian be the same player who endeared himself to the claret and blue faithful with 34 goals in 63 starts and four substitute cameos?

We asked Ben Dinnery, injury data analyst and founder of PremierInjuries.com, for his expert opinion.

What impact will it have on Benteke’s performance?

Like with most injuries it will take him time to get back up to his optimum level. The nature of this injury means that it could have an impact on his explosiveness, both in terms of his speed and his shooting power. But his rehabilitation will have focused and will continue to focus on rebuilding his strength so that, eventually, and differences are negligible.

How will it affect Benteke’s speed?

Benteke does have a turn of pace, but it is not like Villa colleague Gabby Agbonlahor where he is relying mainly on his acceleration. The Belgian striker has enough other attributes to still threaten defenders, even if it takes time to rediscover his top speed.

There is no reason to suggest Benteke can’t come back and attain the standard he did before his injury. Also, he will be able to adapt his game and get that yard of space his position requires in the box, and even when while he is trying to recapture full fitness, he will still boast the physical force to outmanoeuvre defenders.

Will it impact on his shooting power?

It could have an impact on shooting power as potentially his calf muscles are not as strong. But that is something the medical and fitness staff will have been working on a one-on-one basis through tailored exercises. He will have been working hard to build up the muscles and improve flexibility, but there still may be an initial tightness. It is not going to happen overnight.

He can do all the rehabilitation, but the Premier League is unparallelled in terms of pace and power. There are always exceptions, but it is likely to take him a while to get up to standard. As well as the physical side there will the psychological side of it as well. It will be at the back of his mind when he is striking a ball.

How common is this type of injury?

It is fairly unusual in younger players in their early 20s. It is usually players aged 30 or over. The Achilles’ tendon is the strongest tendon in the body and can withstand huge amounts of force going through it.

It is usually caused by one or more of several underlying factors. Sufferers have either experienced existing ankle problems around the time, or may have had medication or a steroid injection that has weakened that area. It could also be down to a case of tendonitis or a repetitive strain which has worsened over time.

What is the standard recovery time?

(Image: (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images))

Benteke seems to be on schedule as it tends to be a standard six month recovery and rehabilitation period. There are some instances where it can happen quicker and there are cases where it takes longer, like his Villa team-mate Charles N’Zogbia.

But it is not advisable for players to return any sooner than six month because it risks further problems. The tendon hasn’t got a great blood supply so regeneration of tissue cell is not as fast as other areas.

Benteke’s Villa team-mates heard the tendon snap from 50 yards away - is that normal?

(Image: Action Images / Alex Morton)

That can be the case. A snap or a crack can be audible and I’ve even heard it likened to the sound of a starter’s pistol. There have been documented instances of players playing on because they didn’t instantly realise what had happened. They didn’t feel the pain and only noticed it moments later when their foot was flopping around.

Does this injury make Benteke more susceptible to him rupturing his Achilles’ tendon again in future?

No. If anything it could become stronger. Villa’s staff will examine the history of why it happened to avoid any recurrence. The problem has been identified and rectified and, going forward, will naturally be given closer attention than before.

I don’t know the specifics of his surgery, but the tendon will now be more secure than prior to the rupture. Looking after this area will have been built into his daily fitness schedule to ensure it remains strong and flexibility, so there will be more care than ever before.