Sports injuries are never for the squeamish, but even by the standards of habitual leg breaks, snapped ligaments, fractured cheekbones and sundry stitches, Aston Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu's (left) eye injury is gruesome.

He needed two operations to save the sight in his eye after being caught in the face by Alan Shearer's boot in a league match. He hasn't started a game since January, but Villa boss John Gregory is thinking of including him against Manchester United to face old team-mate Dwight Yorke today.

Gregory revealed the details of the damage. "It was a very bad injury. Ugo had to have the skin on his head cut and rolled right back so the surgeon could get at the back of his eye and perform a delicate operation.

"Ugo is left with a scar from ear to ear. At the moment it is quite vivid and looks like he is wearing a pair of headphones. The specialist's report is good and his eye is clearing. We thought he might need a third operation."