Chris McCann is set to step up his comeback from injury in a friendly at the Clarets' Portugal training base tomorrow.

McCann has been restricted to just 100 minutes of football since damaging knee ligaments in Burnley's win over Sunderland in September.

The influential midfielder played as a stand-in full-back against Reading in the FA Cup before limping off against Bolton last month with a further knee problem.

But the 22-year-old is back in full training and boss Brian Laws plans to include him in the game against a European side staying at the same complex.

"As long as there is no reaction to training today Chris will be involved tomorrow," Laws told the Clarets' website.

"It will be good to have him back in contention.

"It's a practice game and importantly, as well as Chris playing, it will be an opportunity for the lads who haven't figured much to show us what they can do."

Laws has taken his full senior squad out to Portugal and so has plenty of options at his disposal as gets a further look at the fringe players hoping to push for a greater involvement over the crucial closing months of the season.

Leon Cort should be fit to face Villa

And the Clarets' chief believes the trip will benefit everyone during another cold snap back at Turf Moor. 

He added: "The slightly warmer weather means we can do a couple of training sessions a day, which we haven't been able to do back home, to help us to get ready for the game at Villa.

"They are great facilities, the players are enjoying it and it's a chance to get everyone together and to get to know each other better to prepare for the last part of the season."

Laws also confirmed that the groin strain suffered by Leon Cort in Tuesday night's defeat at Fulham - which saw the Clarets slip back into the bottom three following last night's results - should not keep the defender out of the trip to Villa Park on Sunday-week.