Please, please, please

In the words of The Smiths' song from the eighties: "Please, please, please let ...." Robbie Savage pass his late fitness test.

3,000 Villa fans will enjoy a win at Pride Park far more if Savage is in the Derby team.

Just like Albion fans praying that Nathan Ellington passes his late test and plays against them at The Hawthorns, Villa fans want to see the Bentley king with his nose rubbed in it, so to speak.

Savage, apparently, is doubtful after taking a kick to the knee in Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Everton.

I guess that means he has a bruised finger nail?

Anyway, he used to delight in rubbing his record in against Villa.

Then he lost for the first time at Villa Park whilst in a Blackburn shirt. I was there. And he refused to do any interviews afterwards. Strange for one so usually talkative.

Last season injury and suspension meant he missed both clashes, and he was left on the bench in November when Villa won up at Rovers.

So now is Villa's big chance to get win number two over the Welshman.

And those away fans- who will never forget the Dion Dublin incident in 2003- will be revelling in every missed pass.

Villa should win...just. Set-pieces will be the key. John Carew against Darren Moore will be better than Tyson-Holyfield.

But Villa, somehow, have lost on their last two visits. Surely not a third?