Wilfred Bouma is to step up his comeback from injury by appearing for Aston Villa's reserve side on Monday evening.
The Dutch defender has not made an appearance for Villa since badly dislocating his ankle during an Intertoto Cup clash with Odense in late July.
But he has been making good progress in his recovery and has already played in a number of behind-closed-doors friendly games.
The 30-year-old has now been selected for the reserve match against Arsenal.
"Hopefully he can complete 90 minutes," said manager Martin O'Neill.
If Bouma can put himself in contention for a first-team return over the next few weeks it will be a major boost for O'Neill as Villa continue to challenge for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Villa captain Martin Laursen (knee) and versatile Spaniard Carlos Cuellar (hamstring) are both currently sidelined to leave the club short in defence.
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