This match is even down in my banker bet this weekend, which just goes to show how confident I am of three points for Aston Villa.

In fact we could play with ten men and I'd still expect us to win. Don't get me wrong Derby are a decent side but they're still playing Championship football which isn't going to keep you in the Premier League.

If ever there was a time you want to play a team like Bolton it's after you get taught a footballing lesson by Manchester United.

This Sunday we can go out and teach Bolton a footballing lesson and feel as if all is back to normal. We need to, because from what I've read this week, it looks like a few people took the knives out and defeat at Bolton I suspect would see a few sharpening those knives.

Manchester United had a bad start to the season; they didn't win until they played Spurs in the fourth game and haven't dropped a point in the league since. They even beat Chelsea 2-0, just like we did.

It's also true Manchester United are one of my banker bet teams every week. They let me down quite a bit early on but have come good since so it makes it even harder for me to predict this match.

I'm doing this early because I don't want to think about last night or last week for too much longer and thought a look to West Ham should chance my perspective.

Like I said somewhere earlier, I think we'll win this game. Mostly because we were very unlucky not to win last night and because we'll have two players that are well up for it.

Fortunately for me this game falls on a Monday so I won't be betting on it and jinxing the result for Villa, but if I were to bet, I'd probably have some money on a home win.

Hopefully the above statement has jinxed it for Spurs, but I doubt it. I think two things are quite possible though; if we win, Spurs manager Martin Jol could end up getting the sack and his comments today about it setting Spurs back are also probably true.

If we were going to come unstuck against anyone in the early rounds of this tournament I wouldn't be surprised if it was Leicester; the team Martin O'Neill won the competition with, twice, but I don't expect it tomorrow night.

I don't expect it because we're at home, Leicester are struggling in the Championship and mostly because Martin O'Neill likes this tournament so won't be taking it easy.

If this game was away at Everton I'd be a little worried about my prediction as we're not playing the same type of football that we play at Villa Park.

Fortunately this is at home and a result is needed after the performance from last weekend and the defeat to Manchester City.

I know it's England tonight but I've had enough of waiting. Twice this season already and we're only a few games in, I need to think about Aston Villa.

This Sunday we travel to Manchester City and I've got a good feeling about it, despite them having a new manager who should still be having a positive effect.

What can I say about Chelsea that most don't already know? Chelsea are a class team; almost every player is considered world class and they'll almost certainly finish first or second.

Aston Villa on the other hand are getting better with each performance and Martin O'Neill really does have a selection dilemma ahead of the match on Sunday.