Defenders Nathan Baker and Antonio Luna may also feature after recent knocks, but Charles N'Zogbia remains a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury.
Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye could return to the starting line-up after his proposed transfer window move to Arsenal failed to materialise.
Loan signing Loic Remy could make his first start, while Steven Taylor and Cheick Tiote are available again.
MATCH PREVIEW
Ask any neutral which of these sides has made the better start to the new season, and I reckon the majority would suggest Aston Villa - but the Premier League table reveals a different story. Newcastle are a point better off with four compared to Villa's three. So why does the picture look rosy in Birmingham while it's all fog on the Tyne?
Part of the answer is to do with the respective opposition these clubs have faced and the quality of the performances. Villa have faced three from the top four, narrowly losing to Chelsea and Liverpool after their terrific 3-1 win away to Arsenal on the opening day.
Meanwhile, Newcastle lost their opener heavily 4-0 at Manchester City, then slugged out a forgettable goalless draw at St James' Park against West Ham. Only a Hatem Ben Arfa wonder strike prevented the same outcome last time out against Fulham.
Paul Lambert will not curtail Aston Villa's dynamic style of play despite recognising the need to end a run of 25 Barclays Premier League games without a clean sheet.
The Scot earned plaudits last season for his side's attacking philosophy, even though they spent much of the campaign battling relegation due to their tendency to leak goals.
However, Villa seem better positioned to play with freedom this term after Lambert bolstered his squad over the summer and continues to mould the side he wants.
"Of course I want to put it right at the back but I want a team that's exciting," he said.
"I want to try to attack. This season we've started off by playing really well and we're doing well at the moment."
Lambert, whose side beat Arsenal away before losing narrowly to Chelsea and Liverpool this season, added: "We've taken a lot of confidence from the first three games.
"Sometimes you can walk out of a game thinking you deserved to be beaten but against Chelsea and Liverpool I don't think we deserved to lose. We played really well at Stamford Bridge and particularly in the second half against Liverpool I thought we deserved something.
He scored against Italy for the Czech Republic on Tuesday night and should make his Premier League bow in this one. At £7m he represents Lambert's costliest new recruit, but if he can emulate the success of the manager's last £7m acquisition nobody will be complaining.
Christian Benteke goes from strength to strength - 23 goals last season, four already this. Keeping him in claret and blue is arguably the best bit of business any club managed over the summer.
