Martin O’Neill believes that Gabriel Agbonlahor is the centre forward to lead Aston Villa into Champions League contention, but he has assured Fabio Capello, the England manager, that the versatility the striker has accrued during the team’s development over the past two years will enable him to play anywhere across the line should an opportunity arise in England’s friendly against France on Wednesday.

Agbonlahor has not scored in 2008, but the Villa manager underlined that his improving all-round game means he is ready for a senior international debut in Paris.

O’Neill could do with the 21-year-old scoring today as his team aim to revive their Uefa Cup qualification hopes by overcoming Sunderland at Villa Park, but he is gratified with the striker’s input.

“He contributes in so many other ways,” O’Neill said. “It was only three weeks ago since he was magnificent against Arsenal. In the last 20 minutes he moved to wide right, chased back, took the ball forward, so his contribution to us is very big. Obviously he’d like to score a couple more goals, but I would be less concerned than he is.

“If I go back to the season when Nottingham Forest won the League Championship, Peter Withe didn’t score for four months and he was still the best centre forward in England.

“If he \ was an out-and-out goalscorer and that’s all he was doing, then that’s a different issue. But he does so much else. You can’t be in two places at one time — if you’re trying to manoeuvre the ball down the touchline and get a cross in, you can’t be in the middle as well.”

O’Neill believes that Capello realises Agbonlahor is a team player. “I do think that — and he’s seen a lot of us,” O’Neill said. “He’s seen Gabby play well and he’s seen him play not so well, so he’s made up his own mind. Gabby’s still got plenty to do, but just to be involved in the squad is a major boost.”

Agbonlahor, who has scored 17 goals for Villa since the beginning of last season, started playing under O’Neill on the right of a three-man forward line and, while claiming his place up front alongside John Carew this season, regularly reverts to wide right when Villa are chasing a game.

“I think all the things he’s picked up in his two years here would definitely stand him in good stead,” O’Neill said. Asked where he would best fit into Capello’s preferred formation, he said: “If he’s given any part of the game in Paris on Wednesday, I think he will be so pleased, he’d play anywhere.”

O’Neill can imagine Agbonlahor maintaining his central role as Villa plan to compete for a top-four place in seasons to come. “If he continues to improve, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be up there,” O’Neill said.

“I had no hesitation in giving him a new contract this time last year because I felt like he was capable of improving, he still has that hunger. He has done exceptionally well. I’m aware that, for him, he needs a couple of goals. But I’m not worried for him.”

Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, is employing Bill Beswick as a sports psychologist, but O’Neill prefers to retain that side of management within his own role.

“Everyone to their own thinking, but I would have reservations,” he said. “If you could guarantee me a psychologist could win me the Premier League and the Champions League, I would love go to the Bahamas for the rest of the time and just turn up for the games. If I got a psychologist in, the only person he’d be examining would be in my head.”