Sunderland v Villa

Martin O'Neill believes he could be facing the new Alex Ferguson in the opposite dugout tomorrow.

The Villa boss was a huge admirer of Sunderland manager Roy Keane as a player – and he reckons the former Manchester United colossus could be just as successful as a boss.

As players, O'Neill and Keane both learned so much under legendary chief Brian Clough in different eras at Nottingham Forest.

And it is that grounding, coupled with the influence of United boss Ferguson, that has convinced O'Neill Keane has the ingredients to succeed in the Premier League as a boss.

"He was a great player and he can definitely go on to become a great manager. He would have all the attributes to do it," said O'Neill.

"I accept managing is a totally different thing to playing, but he could be just as excellent in management as he was a player. There's no reason why he can't.

"He's been fortunate to have worked under two of the best managers ever in Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough.

"But after that, he had to get used to dealing with ordinary people and that becomes a bit of a letdown."

There were sceptics who suggested that such was Keane's burning desire to win that he wouldn't be able to cope with players failing to live up to the standards he scaled as a player.

But O'Neill believes Keane is learning all the time.

"Management is also about learning too and I hear him saying after matches that he has things to learn and you learn all the time," he said.

"You learn all the time as a player. Alex Ferguson would say to you now that over the last couple of years since he thought about retirement and came back with renewed vitality that there are things he's learned about managing that hadn't occurred to him that strongly before.

"So you can imagine Roy Keane, who has worked with great people such as Sir Alex doing the same.

"He knows what it takes and if that's a point you'd want to reach then he's had it all. He's been a great player and he's worked under a fantastic manager.

"He's also had a great start to his managerial career. He went to

Sunderland when they were in a bit of trouble, but he pulled them around and he got promotion.

"This season he's seeing the Premier League in a different light from playing to managing and I don't think anything will faze him."

O'Neill, meanwhile, is convinced Villa will face a tough task to match a nine-year record and make it four succcessive Premier League away wins as Sunderland look to bounce back after losing to Chelsea last week.

"The best way to come back from that seven-goal defeat at Everton was to win and they beat Derby 1-0.

"That's as big a lift as you're likely to get. You don't have to get seven the next week to get some points. And scoring so late is their trademark.

"I've also watched their game against Chelsea and there were really good periods. They can compete, especially with that crowd behind them – they will fight like mad."