Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill insisted Juventus-bound defender Olof Mellberg was still fully committed to the midlands club despite substituting him at half-time against Newcastle on Saturday.

The Swedish international has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Italian giants after he quits Villa in the summer.

Mellberg did not have one of his best performances during the opening 45 minutes against the Magpies in the right-back berth he has occupied all season because of Villa's lack of a specialist in that role.

But O'Neill is adamant his decision to replace Mellberg - plus right-sided midfielder Stiliyan Petrov - at the interval had nothing to do with the attitude of the 30-year-old who has been at Villa for seven years.

O'Neill said: "Has there been a change in Olof since he signed for Juventus? Not at all. His attitude has been really good and the change on Saturday was all about trying to get a spark down the right hand side.

"I just wanted a bit more creativity down that side. Olof has been brilliant for us - but he is essentially a centre-half and he is going to go to Juventus to play centre-half.

"I have been asking him to do things at right-back all season and he has done them uncomplainingly.

"I know he's going to fresh pastures in the summer and I've been asking him to create something for us down the right. But he has done that with great willingness and very well.

"Against Newcastle, we needed to get some momentum going down the right so we switched Ashley Young over to that side and Craig Gardner came on at right-back.

"He is not as strong defensively as Olof but the onus was on us to get back into the game.

"Taking Olof off was no slight on him. He's been brilliant. We will be disappointed to see him go in the summer. He is a top professional who wants to help us finish the season on a high note."

Hamstring victim Gabriel Agbonlahor will be part of the Villa squad which is to enjoy a short sunshine break abroad before they return to action against Reading on February 23.

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