Team News: Joe Cole makes first league start for Aston Villa in trip to Burnley

Former England midfielder Joe Cole has been handed a first Premier League start for Aston Villa in their crucial trip to improving Burnley this afternoon.

The 33-year-old has made just two substitute appearances in the top flight and one League Cup start since joining the Midlands club on a free in the summer.

Paul Lambert, who is still missing Christian Benteke, Ron Vlaar and Fabian Delph, prefers Cole to Charles N'Zogbia in the only change from the lineup which began the 1-1 draw with Southampton on Monday.

Callum Robinson, who scored six goals in a 12-game loan spell at Preston North End, is on the Villa bench.

Burnley also only make one alteration as Michael Duff drops out of the team which won 2-1 at Stoke City last weekend. The 36-year-old is struggling with a muscle strain and is replaced by Michael Keane in defence.

The Clarets have won their last two games and will climb above Villa in the table with victory at Turf Moor.

Burnley: Heaton; Trippier, Keane, Shackell, Ward; Boyd, Jones, Marney, Kightly; Ings, Barnes. Subs: Gilks, Sordell, Jutkiewicz, Arfield, Long, Mee, Wallace

Villa: Guzan; Hutton, Okore, Clark, Cissokho; Westwood, Sanchez, Cleverley; Cole, Weimann, Agbonlahor Subs: Given, Bacuna, Richardson, N'Zogbia, Lowton, Robinson, Grealish

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