It was vital for Aston Villa to get back on track after their recent travel woes but it’s the manner of their 5-1 win over Bolton, and the player who orchestrated it, that will please Martin O’Neill the most.

John Carew hasn’t always been first-choice but the Norwegian dismantled the visitors and pressed his claims for a regular starting place ahead of the erratic Emile Heskey. The former Valencia striker can not only hold the ball up but he is technically more astute than Heskey and has the ability to make a goal out of nothing. The fact that Heskey hasn’t scored a senior goal since netting against Kazakhstan tells its own story and if you have another player who can do all the things he can and more, it should be a no-brainer.

Of course it’s easy to get carried away with one performance against a poor side, but Villa have struggled to break down the lesser sides a home at it is not often they put five past the opposition. Carew is a nightmare for most defences in the Premier League and with Manchester City and Liverpool wobbling, Villa must make the most of it.

The only real downside was how Bolton managed to get back in the game at 2-1 and it was a similarly sloppy goal Villa conceded in the dying minutes at West Ham last week. It didn’t prove as costly this time round as it did at Upton Park, but it will irritate O’Neill and letting in soft goals is something he will want to eradicate.

Other positives from the clash was Nigel Reo-Coker’s captaincy, which seems a signal of intent that their confrontation is well and truly behind them, and Stephen Warnock’s solid performances have caught the attention of Fabio Capello and an international call-up. His £8m price tag is still debatable but the former Blackburn and Liverpool full-back has slotted into a new defence alongside other signings Richard Dunne and James Collins. It has been the foundation for their excellent home form, so Villa need to focus on brushing up when they play outside Birmingham and that means playing their best eleven and the omission of Heskey.