Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is sure centre-back Curtis Davies will rise to the occasion in Saturday's Premier League clash at Wigan.Davies, who is on loan from West Bromwich Albion, is expected to get his first top-flight start in a Villa shirt at the JJB Stadium.

He steps in for the suspended Zat Knight and O'Neill has every confidence he can make the most of his long-awaited opportunity.

Davies came through a daunting 45-minute test in the second half at Chelsea after Knight had been sent off.

O'Neill said: "Curtis will have gained a lot from that game.

"He has been sat on the sidelines for a long time waiting for a chance.

"It was a big test for him to be thrown in against Chelsea when we were down to 10 men and I thought he coped with it well.

"It is difficult to pick up the pace when you have been on the sidelines.

"But he is a naturally fit lad and when he gets games, he will be up to the pace and show the kind of quality we know he possesses."

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