Stoke City striker Peter Crouch is pushing to make their weekend clash with Aston Villa.

The Daily Mail says Crouch will have a mouth guard fitted at a top London dentist on Wednesday in a bid to return to Stoke's strike force for their trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Crouch lost two front teeth while another two were pushed into his gums after being caught in the mouth by Fabricio Coloccini's flailing arm in Stoke's win over Newcastle last week.