Senderos injury plunges Villa into a defensive crisis

Philippe Senderos has picked up a thigh injury while on duty for Switzerland and looks highly likely to miss the Everton game, plunging Villa into defensive uncertainty.

Senderos

Ron Vlaar has been missing for weeks with a calf injury and the news about Senderos will leave Paul Lambert praying that the likes of Alan Hutton, Ciaran Clark and Jores Okore will return from international duty unscathed.

Swiss team doctor Cuno Wetzel said: "Philippe has a thigh muscle strain. We'll have to see how it reacts.

"Normally a player is out of action for some time with a muscle injury of this type."

The news will come as a hammer blow to Villa fans already reeling at the loss of Roy Keane's beard.