Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish has praised the "resilience" of Fabrice Muamba after the Bolton Wanderers midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest.

Muamba collapsed during Bolton's FA Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

"It was a shock for that to happen," McLeish said. "You just thought it wouldn't happen to a guy like him. You are talking about great resilience from a very strong, young athlete.

"And his recovery is fantastic. It's really encouraging to see him sitting up and speaking, which a few days ago people were saying wouldn't happen.

"Everyone was right behind him and maybe that power helped. It is fantastic news for the football community."

Muamba remains in intensive care but is making steady progress.