John Carew won't give up his place

Fit-again striker John Carew has warned he will not be giving up his Villa jersey without a fight by insisting "I am ready to play a bigger part."

The Holte End favourite was drafted into the starting line-up for Saturday's draw with Chelsea, after recent first-choice Emile Heskey was ruled out with a back problem.

Norway star Carew responded with arguably his best display of the campaign and, after being hampered by knee trouble of late, insists he is now fit and firing again.

The striker said: "I felt good. I had a good game with the national team and got some match fitness.

"I'm feeling like my form and fitness is coming back so now I'm hoping to be a bigger part of the team again now.

"I just need to get my physical state back to 100 per cent again."

Carew, Villa's top scorer in the previous three campaigns, is yet to get off the mark this term but did score for Norway in their Euro 2012 qualifying win over Cyprus.

The 31-year-old also featured in his country's friendly with Croatia last Tuesday and manager Gerard Houllier revealed those games began to take their toll on the forward's fitness in the latter stages of Saturday's stalemate.

Houllier added: "John, don't forget, played a full game in Cyprus and half a game in Croatia and that is why he had cramp at the end.

"He did well."

It is not just Carew's fitness which is improving either.

The Villa striker believes the whole team has benefited from the new training regime introduced by ex-Liverpool boss Houllier.

Carew added: "We're working much more on the tactical side and that's good.

"We're dpong more on possession play, on defensive organisation, offensive organisation. We are doing more of that and that's really good.

"I think that will show in results over the whole season, as we know more what to do and where to be.

"We work hard on new things and that's what we're all interested in, that's what we're here for, to make this club better and make the results better, to achieve goals and improve each season.

"If that means more work and harder work, which it probably does, then that's good."