Fulham man making steady progress

Steve Sidwell is on course to return to action in two weeks’ time.

The Fulham midfielder has been sidelined with an abdominal injury and has not played since last month’s draw with West Brom.

Meanwhile, the Whites have been boosted by Bryan Ruiz’s recovery from illness ahead of this weekend’s game against Aston Villa.

Ruiz was laid low by a virus but has returned to training and will be in the squad for the trip to the Midlands.

But Aaron Hughes faces a fitness test on a calf problem and Stephen Kelly is out with a thigh injury.