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Paul Lambert is considering playing Jores Okore in tomorrow's Under-21s match with Bolton to help give him some game time.

The Danish defender has been overlooked in recent weeks and failed to make Aston Villa's matchday squad against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Okore missed most of last season with a ruptured cruciate ligament and after such a long injury Lambert insists he needs time to fully recover and get up to speed.

“He needs games and will play a part in a game very shortly," said the Villa manager.

“Whether Denmark play him or not remains to be seen.”

Okore may come into contention against Manchester City.

The clash at Villa Park ends a daunting sequence of games against the Premier League's big boys and Lambert said: “We are in a run of games where it’s really tough but we’ve certainly played well enough.

“I’ve seen Chelsea score six at Everton. That’s how good they are. They can rip you open at any time. All credit to the team.

“If you come away with your confidence still intact, it’s half the battle.

“If someone had said to me that we’d take a point from Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, I’d have taken it. That’s the reality of it.

“But the lads have been excellent for us.”