Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has been sent home from training today for disciplinary reasons, manager Martin O'Neill has revealed.

Reports have indicated O'Neill and Reo-Coker had a disagreement in training yesterday. When Reo-Coker arrived for training this morning, he was told to stay away until Monday.

O'Neill said: "There was a confrontation between Nigel and myself. It usually happens between players really. There were no fisticuffs. There was no wrestling to the ground as reported in one newspaper. That was a figment of the onlookers' imagination.

"There was enough for me to treat the incident seriously enough. Nigel will not play against Portsmouth and come Monday it will be forgotten about. I make the rules. I am the manager and custodian of the football club so my rules apply. Players have to get used to my rules. It's as simple as that."

The bust-up could not have come at a worse time for former West Ham midfielder Reo-Coker. Having spent most of last season playing out of position at right-back, he had just worked his way back into his favoured central midfield position.

He was linked with a move to Tottenham earlier in the summer and this clash with O'Neill will undoubtedly cast a doubt over his long-term future at the club.