Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has assured Shaun Maloney he has a valuable part to play at the club.

The manager's reassurance comes after the Scottish player revealed he has finally begun to settle in the Midlands.

Maloney, whose 73rd minute wonder free kick gave Villa share of the spoils at Sunderland at the weekend, revealed after the match that he had now finally got a place to live in Birmingham and was enjoying his football and training much more.

The former Celtic midfielder has been at the centre of intense speculation, almost since his arrival, that he is unsettled and unhappy in the Midlands and could be looking for a move back north of the border in January.

But his manager is convinced he will stay. O'Neill feels all of the speculation has emanated from the Scottish press and not from the player himself or the club.

O Neill said: "I don't what has been said but every single player at this club has a part to play.

"Moustapha Salifou is getting fitter all the time and getting closer, everybody."

The Northern Irishman eulogised Maloney's strike and revealed the diminutive player, who appeared as a 68th minute substitute, had been practising his set pieces on the training ground.

The goal cancelled out an early Danny Higginbotham strike for Roy Keane's Sunderland and gave Villa added momentum in the second half.

Sunderland could have won the game thanks to a late Danny Collins header but referee Steve Bennett ruled out the 'goal' claiming a foul on Villa keeper Scott Carson.

O'Neill said: "I would have been bitterly disappointed if we had lost as it was a game I thought we dominated.

"I don't think anyone can say throughout the game that we didn't deserve something.

"Will I take the credit for bringing on Maloney? Why shouldn't I?" he joked. "There is plenty of discredit when you bring someone on and it doesn't work. But I didn't take the free kick.

"It was a blinding free kick and it put us right back in there. It was a big contribution to the game because it changed the game.

"It was absolutely exquisite. He is capable of doing that. He did it in training in the week and then when he got the chance to do it on the big stage he produced. It was magnificent.

"That will give him a big boost of confidence. There have been a lot of rumours, people talking about him being homesick. You can understand it. He has never really been away from Scotland. If he settles down he can do that."

Maloney said after the match that he had settled now and finally found a place to live after months of commuting to and from Glasgow.

He said: "I am settled now. I have got a place now near to the city centre and I am really enjoying training. I just want to get on the pitch a bit more."

Asked if he would still be at Villa come February, he answered: "Yeah, I can't see any reason why not if the manager still wants me.

"Fingers crossed, a goal like that will help my cause. I haven't seen the manager about my future - I am just training hard."

Maloney, who scored a similar free kick against Manchester City last season, joined Villa in a £1 million move from Celtic last January.

The 26-year-old, who has now made 11 appearances for Villa so far this season, has been capped nine times for Scotland and has scored once for his country.