Goal was childs play for Sidwell

Sidwell is still to get on the scoresheet this season but it took him just 31 seconds to make his mark in the thrilling 3-2 win at Goodison Park last November when he smashed a piledriver past goalkeeper Tim Howard.

The strike came just days after the birth of second son Rocco, named after cult boxing film hero Rocky, and the former Chelsea player revealed the early goal particularly took wife Krystal, the former winner of reality TV show Wags Boutique, by surprise.

He said: "I got off to a great start in the league up there last year. It was some game, probably one of the best in the Premier League last season.

"My mum and dad have probably got the goal recorded somewhere at home. A few days before, my wife had given birth to our second son.

"I remember it being a weird week for me. I missed training a couple of days to be at the birth, then it was up to Everton and scoring so early it was quite surreal.

"I spoke to my wife afterwards and she told me how she'd been holding the baby, when I scored he almost went flying! But this year I'm long overdue a goal."

Despite Sidwell gifting Wolves a late penalty last weekend, Villa remain unbeaten in the last 17 league games the midfielder has started – his only defeat coming on his debut against Middlesbrough a year ago.

Not that the midfielder is getting carried away.

He added: "Someone mentioned it before the Chelsea game and I thought 'oh my god, not now!'

"It's there to be broken. I don't know why it's the case, it's not as if I bring anything really different to the squad. It's just nice to be playing but, with not being involved midweek against Sunderland, I will have to see if I'm playing."

Sidwell's early goal at Goodison was pretty special, but even that was undone by Ashley Young's late solo effort to snatch three points at the death – just seconds after the Toffees had equalised.

The central midfielder said: "He won the game by himself with the late, late winner. When the equaliser went in to make it 2-2 you just thought, 'right, that's it, just shut up shop and we'll take that'.

"But Ashley goes down the other end and scores a wonderful goal. The manager was disappointed it didn't get voted goal of the season, as opposed to John Carew's at home to Stoke. He had a moan about it at the player of the season awards!"

Neither Sidwell or Young have been among the goals this season, but O'Neill admits his midfield need to start chipping in more.

The manager said: "I think if you are going to be successful you have to have a goalscoring midfield.

"You would have to be exceptionally lucky to go through the season, not have someone scoring from midfield and yet still be really successful."