Villa boss: Davies will shine

Martin O’Neill insists Curtis Davies is ready to step into the breach at Wigan tomorrow if Zat Knight’s FA appeal fails today.

Knight faces a one-match ban following his Boxing Day sending off at Chelsea, which Villa have formally appealed.

A verdict is expected this afternoon after the case was heard this lunchtime.

Davies, who is on a season-long loan from Albion, came on at half-time at Stamford Bridge but is still to start a Premier League game for Villa.

But Villa boss O’Neill reckons the 22-year-old is ready for top flight football again.

“Curtis has been sat on the sidelines for some time, but he got the chance to play at Chelsea and he’ll have picked a lot up from that,” said O’Neill.

“That was a big test there for him to be thrown into against Chelsea with 10 men, but I thought he did very well.

“He’s naturally a fit lad, so when he gets games, he will be up to the pace of it because he’s played Premier League football before.

“But I must admit it’s difficult to pick up the pace of the game, especially when you’ve been sitting on the sidelines for quite some time.”