Steve Sidwell hopes to make his full Aston Villa debut next week against Portsmouth.

"I've been training now for a while but I needed some games," Sidwell told the Birmingham Mail. "Yesterday was the first so it probably showed. I just need a few more games and then I can get back into the swing of things.

"It's been a really frustrating time. It couldn't have come at a worse time coming to a new club and obviously trying to impress in the early stages.

"But it has happened. I've been mentally strong and I'm back now. I feel fine and fully fit and I am really looking forward to getting out there and getting among it.

"There are games there to play and there's fitness there to recover so if it goes well hopefully I will be in the manager's thoughts for the Portsmouth game.

"But saying that the lads have been doing terrifically - not just in the midfield but everyone - so it's going to be tough to get in there. I will just have to bide my time and get on with it."