Heskey had to be replaced just six minutes into last night`s match at La Rosaleda following a collision with Malaga defender Weligton, with Marc Albrighton taking the former Liverpool hitman`s place.

O`Neill reported after the game though that Heskey, who had suffered mild concussion, was on the mend and was still a possibility to face Atlante this week.

"Emile is feeling a lot better. He was a bit disorientated and we felt that, having come back late and only playing a few minutes of the game, it was best to take him off and make a substitution at that stage," O`Neill told AVTV.

"But he is feeling better now. We will monitor it each day but I don`t think he would be ruled out at this stage."

Villa lost their opening Peace Cup match against Malaga 1-0 and now face an uphill struggle to progress out of the three-team Group C and into the semi-finals.

In fact, if Malaga avoid defeat against Atlante on Monday then O`Neill`s men will be out of the tournament no matter what they do against the same opponents 48 hours later.