1 Tim Sherwood

Tim Sherwood has revealed he could be missing a number of key players against Sunderland after a sickness bug swept through the Aston Villa training ground.

Sherwood refused to name the ill men but is facing an anxious wait to discover who will be available to play on Saturday for the visit of the Black Cats.

“There’s a sickness bug around the training ground so there are a few players who have not been able to make training,” he said.

“We have a couple of players, I don’t want to tell you who who they are but they’re not here today because they are ill.

“They are not well today and the doc is having to do some overtime. We could miss a couple and there’s a couple who are not well now. I’d rather they weren’t well now rather than tomorrow.

“There must be a bug going around, we’re just hoping it’s made its way to the north-east.”

Sherwood could also be without Adama Traore at the weekend after the former Barcelona winger limped off in the League Cup win over Notts County on Tuesday with an ankle injury.

“He hasn’t trained but we’re going to give him every opportunity to be fit,” said the boss.

“He’s a massive talent, no-one wants him to be a sensation immediately more than I do but he has come from a weaker competition (Spain’s Segunda Division, with Barca’s B team) and it’s going to take him time.”