Darren Bent is unlikely to be available after an ankle problem, while Chris Herd (foot) is out for the season.
QPR are boosted by the return to fitness of Julio Cesar and Adel Taarabt, while Armand Traore's calf strain will be assessed.
Bobby Zamora again looks set to play despite carrying hip and ankle knocks.
Seven years ago this month I watched Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth side lose 1-0 at Villa Park to leave them with what looked like an impossible task to avoid relegation. That defeat left them on just 18 points with only 10 games left. Redknapp was so shocked and angry after that game that he could hardly talk to the Match of the Day cameras afterwards.
"This is arguably the game of the week. Both of these sides had good wins last week and they will be looking to keep up that momentum heading into the international break.
"It's probably bigger for Rangers that they win this game, given that Villa are four points above them. From Villa's point of view it's more of a 'must not lose' than the 'must win' game that it is for QPR."
The following week Pedro Mendes scored his famous double against Manchester City and Pompey took an incredible 20 points from those last 10 games to stay up - one of the most unlikely escapes ever.Have QPR just begun a similar run? Back-to-back wins over Southampton and Sunderland would suggest they might have done. When Redknapp took over at Loftus Road they had a pathetic four points, now they have 23 and a win at Villa could take them to within touching distance of a place outside the bottom three for the first time this season.
Rangers' fans will hope that comparisons with Portsmouth end there. The many millions Rangers spent in January has given them a chance, but the stakes are unbelievably high. The club faces massive and unsustainable losses if they don't stay up.
When they beat Portsmouth seven years ago, Villa fans were disgruntled, attendances were dipping and the manager was under intense pressure. So not much has changed, except that back in 2006 they were 14th in the table and now they are 17th and in extreme peril of relegation themselves.
Villa's win at Reading last weekend was huge. A win over QPR could arguably be even bigger but the last time they put together back-to-back Premier League wins was May 2011.
One recent financial report estimated that Aston Villa have the Premier League's seventh highest wage bill; have a think about who you reckon those big Villa earners are and then have a look to see how many of them are regulars in the team.
Paul Lambert has certainly been resolute in the opinion that his collection of kids has more chance of keeping him in a job than some of the more famous and well-remunerated members of his squad. It is the antithesis of Queens Park Rangers' policy. The next nine games will determine who is right.
Head-to-head
The two clubs have met 41 times in the league and never shared a goalless draw. The last three meetings have ended all-square, including the 1-1 draw at Loftus Road earlier this season when Jamie Mackie cancelled out Brett Holman's early strike for Villa in Harry Redknapp's first home game in charge. QPR have never won at Villa Park in the Premier League (D1, L5). The visitors last won in March 1992, when a Les Ferdinand strike secured a 1-0 win. Villa's last clean sheet against QPR was a 2-0 home win in November 1992 - the first Premier League meeting between the clubs. They have met 10 times since that date.Aston Villa
Villa have won only one of their last seven league matches at Villa Park (W1, D1, L5). Paul Lambert's side have taken just 16 points from a possible 39 against sides in the bottom half of the table (W4, D5, L5), only Reading and opponents QPR (W2, D7, L4) have fewer (13 points). No team has scored fewer goals or conceded more in the second-half of games than Villa (13 scored, 36 conceded). Christian Benteke has scored six league goals in his last seven outings. Charles N'Zogbia could make the 200th league start of his career.QPR
If the Premier League had started on 27 November (Harry Redknapp's first game), QPR would be 10th - five points above the relegation zone. Rangers have scored more than once in just five league matches this season, and two of those have come in their recent back-to-back victories. They have lost only one of five matches against the four clubs directly above them, taking six points from 15. The defeat was November's 3-1 loss at home to Southampton. QPR are yet to concede a penalty this season - a feat only leaders Manchester United can match. Loic Remy has scored three league goals in four starts for QPR.
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