Davies eager to make Villa mark

Davies initially broke a metatarsal in mid-March playing for West Brom, ruling him out for the remainder of the season, then watched the Baggies lose to Derby in the Championship play-off final two months later.

He said: "Now it is time to kick on with my football, and after half a year to forget and half to remember in 2007, hopefully 2008 will be a much better year for me - starting on Tuesday. Hopefully I'll get the nod again and I can show people what I am all about."

Davies joined Villa on transfer deadline day in August, initially on loan with a view to a permanent £10million move in the summer.

Finally fit, Davies made his Villa debut at the end of September, but he was so dejected with himself in a 1-0 defeat to Leicester he famously described himself as "a pub player".

Since then, and prior to Saturday, Davies had had to be content with a place on the bench due to the form of Martin Laursen and Zat Knight. But with Knight sent off in the dramatic 4-4 draw with Chelsea on Boxing Day, that finally allowed Davies to make his first league start for Villa at Wigan at the weekend.

Davies did not disappoint as he scored the equaliser in a 2-1 win and produced a superb performance at the heart of the defence that had O'Neill raving. Whether he now starts in the New Year's Day clash at home to Spurs remains to be seen, but he feels like he has turned a corner.

"Looking back 2007 has been a bad year and a good year," reflected Davies. "The highlight was signing for Villa, a great move for me, while the low was breaking my foot back in March.

"I'm not going to lie, but not playing 90 minutes of football for nine months has been hard at times. I've been used to playing ever since I turned professional. I've played every game and barely been on the bench.

"So to be at Villa has been a mental test, one I've come through, and at least now I know I'm mentally stronger."