Alvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham may have a clean bill of health for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Villa Park.

David Affengruber and Emile Smith Rowe both missed the Cottagers’ 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday due to unspecified issues.

However, neither player is nursing a serious problem and there is hope that Affengruber will slot straight back into the heart of the defence alongside Calvin Bassey.

With Ryan Sessegnon serving the third and final game of his three-man ban, Antonee Robinson will continue at left-back and Timothy Castagne may get the nod to start at right-back at the expense of Kenny Tete.

Even if Smith Rowe is fit to feature, the midfielder is not expected to start, as teenage talent Joshua King is primed to return to an advanced central role, while Shea Charles will likely link up with either Sander Berge or Hugo Larsson in deeper positions.

Oscar Bobb, the match-winner in the 1-0 PL win at Coventry last weekend, is set to continue on the right flank, and Alex Iwobi should also retain his place in the first XI on the opposite wing.

Although Gonzalo Garcia has failed to score in each of his last seven starts, the summer signing from Real Madrid will likely come back into the side and lead the line at the expense of Rodrigo Muniz, who failed to take his chance in attack against Crystal Palace.

Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia