Just as Aston Villa seek to follow up victory over Arsenal by establishing their top-four credibility against Manchester United today, Martin O'Neill has urged Gabriel Agbonlahor to back up his impressive England debut by confirming that he belongs among the elite as the Barclays Premier League champions visit Villa Park.

The player's personal challenge after being fêted for his contribution to the 2-1 win over Germany on Wednesday mirrors that of the club. Both appear on the verge of great things. Villa, as brilliant against Arsenal last week as they were mediocre at home to Middlesbrough the previous match, seek their first league victory over United in 13 years to substantiate the belief that they are ready to break into the top four.

Agbonlahor was one of three Villa players involved in the win in Berlin - Gareth Barry and Ashley Young were the others - with Curtis Davies also in the squad, and O'Neill, critical of mid-season international friendlies this time last week, admitted that he can also see the benefits. “Much as I complained about the timing of the international games, I was delighted that Gabby played,” the Villa manager said. “I couldn't be more pleased with him or for him. He has a bit to go - he knows that himself - and he wants to improve. But it will give him a great boost of confidence.

“I hope he would treat that game in the way that he should do, as a good introduction, a friendly against top-quality opposition. He knows he's in major competition for an England place and England are going brilliantly at the moment. The only thing I said to him and Ash [Young] is to try and be on that plane when it goes to South Africa [for the 2010 World Cup finals].

“Gabby has realised an ambition to play for England. Having been in the company of top-quality players and a big set-up with a fantastic manager; this is where he should feel he belongs. That, with the determination he possesses, should give him a boost. It shouldn't make him stand back in awe; it should encourage him to go on.”

O'Neill will look to Agbonlahor, Young, Davies and Barry to offer Villa the conviction as much as the quality as he plans an unlikely victory today that would be their first over these opponents in 26 league meetings. “If you put things into perspective, Manchester United are a real quality side,” O'Neill said. “They have reached that stage and it's not just overnight - it's years and years of big games. The main reason is they have outstanding players who can win games.

“Their record against us at Villa Park is exceptional and they enjoy playing here. We would have to play as well as we did at the Emirates to stop this run but we are capable of it.”

Villa started magnificently against United last season, Agbonlahor giving them an early lead, only to be 3-1 down by half-time and down to nine men by the end of a 4-1 defeat. But, with a stronger squad this season their 2-0 triumph over Arsenal had the feel of a watershed. “If we couldn't gain confidence from our win last week,

we'll never get it,” O'Neill said.

Davies took his hero's place in the England squad this week. The man known as “baby Rio” in his early days, for his similarities to Rio Ferdinand, admits much of the chat in the Villa dressing-room recently has been baby talk. Davies, Marlon Harewood and Isaiah Osborne became fathers to daughters in the space of a few days.

“Everyone's looking back and asking what the chef was putting in our food nine months ago,” Davies, a boyhood United fan, said. “But Isla [his daughter] has been going through the night so I'm not losing any sleep.”