Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor out for two weeks to work on fitness

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor will be out for the next two weeks in order to undergo a personal fitness programme.

Agbonlahor has played just 18 times for the club this season, with his last appearance coming in the 1-0 defeat at Swansea on March 19, and Black does not feel the player is in a position to be considered for selection.

"In terms of fitness levels, Gabby Agbonlahor is not fit for the Premier League at this moment in time," Villa interim manager Eric Black said, ahead of Saturday's game away to Manchester United.

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"He'll work with the group, with the U21s and fitness coaches and we'll assess it in two weeks' time.

"I sat down with Gabby on Monday and we agreed to put in place a fitness regime to get him up to speed.

"I can only control the elements I can control. I have to try to get the best out of the squad I have got and we agreed he wasn't in a condition to be involved.

"I can only assess people in training and in matches, I can only control those elements.

"I can't do the running, that'll be up to Gabby, it's his responsibility. In the last 10 days, I have identified various things and that's one of them.

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"When I'm in this position, I'm going to treat it the way I want to, if they don't want to train properly, be part of the group or be ready to perform, that's the only sanction I've got.

"We've come to the conclusion we need to move forward with it and he's not at the level to contribute the way he should."

When pressed, Black admitted he is having to deal with the unusual situation where a Premier League player was deemed unfit so late in the season.

"Yes, that seems to be the case, I don't know what went on before but we both felt his fitness needed to improve," added Black.

Black: Hard road back to top

Caretaker boss Eric Black has backed Aston Villa to recover from relegation

The 29-year-old was not included in the first-team squad for Villa's 4-0 Premier League home defeat to Chelsea on April 2 after he was pictured smoking a shisha pipe while on holiday in Dubai. 

More recently, he has been struggling with a virus and by the time he returns to action, the club will almost certainly be relegated.

If Norwich avoid defeat against Sunderland this weekend, Villa's place in the Sky Bet Championship next season will be confirmed.