Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill may keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to his January transfer targets, but he was more forthcoming when asked about another fine performance.
The 3-1 defeat of Reading at Villa Park was Villa's third win in six matches, and they have come through the busy festive period with an impressive string of results that have seen them losing to no one and picking up 12 valuable points in their quest for European football this season.
Villa now lie sixth in the league, but are level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool, whom they play in a week's time, and a win over the Reds would catapult Villa into the Champions League reckoning.
O'Neill said: "I am a happy man, the team showed great commitment. I thought we were stodgy to begin with, but we broke the deadlock and deserved to win the game. I thought the team were terrific, absolutely terrific. It was an important win for us."
The Northern Irishman was forced to juggle his side just minutes before kick off, with defender Olof Mellberg crying off with a stomach bug, and young Craig Gardner was brought in at right-back, with Moustapha Salifou making his debut on the bench.
It capped a crazy week for Swedish international Mellberg, who was rumoured to have flown to Turin on Tuesday to begin pre-contract talks with Serie A giants Juventus ahead of a possible move there in the summer.
O'Neill said: "Olof was sick. I don't think anybody will read anything else into it. He was just ill, and the reason I'm saying that is people maybe think it was because he had contractual things, or whatever. We needed to change it, and we made the change with about half an hour to go.
"Making a late change like that can unsettle the starting 11, but we have adjusted before - we have had to adjust in the past, though not to this particular situation - but young Craig Gardner came in.
"Craig has played right-back before - he played there at the start of the season for us, and while it is not his favourite position, he is a midfield player, he has played there before so it didn't present us with any major problems."
Gardner himself said he had been a bit surprised with the late call-up, but pleased to start another match.
He said: "I think I had about half an hour's notice that I was playing, but it was not a problem. Olof was feeling sick, and the gaffer said in the morning we would see how we go, and if he was OK, he would be playing, but then I got the nod.
"I am not a natural right-back, but if the manager wants me to play there I will do, and I will always give it my best."
