Sign up NOW for our daily Villa newsletter direct to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Christian Benteke has potentially halved the timeframe of his injury lay-off and could face Tottenham in three weeks if he continues his rapid rate of recovery.

Villa expect Gabby Agbonlahor, Fabian Delph, Antonio Luna and Ciaran Clark to return from injury for Saturday’s match against Manchester City.

Ashley Westwood is targeting next weekend’s trip to Hull after picking up a thigh strain – the first real injury of his fledgling career.

Villa feared Benteke would be out for a hefty length of time and, even after the scans on his hip flexor problem this week, estimated a six-week lay-off.

The 22-year-old targetman tweeted on Thursday that he is already off his crutches and Paul Lambert admitted Villa’s Belgium top scorer was targeting a quickfire return in three weeks.

If Benteke is able to return for the Sunday, October 20, home game against Spurs, it would mean missing just two Premier League matches, against Manchester City and Hull.

Asked if Benteke had a chance of returning after the international break, Lambert replied: “Back for the Tottenham game? Yes, we’re trying to see if that can happen.

“He’s running! I’m only kidding, he’s not. But he’s doing great, honestly. The crutches were just to take the weight of it a little bit. He’s doing really fine now, and he seems a lot happier in himself.

“I wasn’t sure because I think medically, you’re never quite sure until you speak to people and you get the results of the scan.

“They’ll tell you their professional opinion, what they think. So I’m never one to go on hearsay. I always think let’s wait and se until somebody tells me what it really is.

“It was that strange an injury, he just really slipped. Sometimes they can be the worst ones to get. When that happens you think, it could be worse.”

According to sources in Belgium, the striker’s international team doctors are planning a visit to Bodymoor Heath next week to assess the injury for themselves after Benteke was advised not to fly for fear of aggravating the problem.

Belgium would love to have Benteke available for their World Cup qualifers against Croatia and Wales on October 11 and 15 as they aim to book their trip to Brazil 2014 nice and early.

But Lambert is adamant that even with the encouraging improvement of his injury, Benteke will not be able to represent his country if he has not returned to action for his club.

“If Christian doesn’t play for us, then I don’t think he’ll be bit for Belgium,” said Lambert.

“I saw Belgium against Scotland and they were excellent. They deserve to go through, with or without Christian. If he plays or doesn’t play I still think they’ll get the points.

“Against who, I don’t know, but I still think they’ll go through.

“You’ve got to go along with the rules that Belgium have to see him themselves and that, but I certainly wouldn’t think that if he’s not fit for us he’ll play for them.

“We’re his club. I spoke to Marc Wilmots (the Belgium manager). We never spoke about any games, we just spoke about his fitness and what we thought.

“I understand Belgium’s point of view, trying to do their best for their country. But he’s our player. He’s got good people looknig after him here, so we’ll have to wait and see.

“Christian’s not spoken to me about it, not a thing, but he’s pretty happy with the way things are going and hopefully we’ll get him back pretty quick.”

On the subject of requesting Benteke does not travel by plane for the time being, Lambert explained: “We can’t let him go at the minute.

“He’s got good people around him here, I think Christian’s happy with everything that’s going on. So right at this minute Belgium would have to come here. We’re obligated to let him go the nearer the national games come, because they can invoke a ruling, But for the initial period he’s here.”