Friedel has been O'Neill's first choice this season and has impressed inbetween the posts as sixth-placed Villa aim to break into the top four.

The Villa manager has mainly used Friedel's American team-mate Guzan in this season's Europa League and Carling Cup.

And Guzan, signed from Chivas USA in the summer of 2008, has not let him down. The keeper made four penalty saves against Sunderland, including three in the shoot-out, in the last round of the Carling Cup and is keeping Friedel on his toes.

O'Neill said: "Brad (Guzan) has come in and done wonderfully well for us anytime he has played for us. He puts himself under this big pressure to be performing at an incredible level in these one-off games.

"I don't want him to put a lot more pressure on himself by feeling, everytime he plays, that he has to make four or five marvellous saves.

"It is great if he does it but my own view is that he is a top quality keeper in the making and his performances have shown he is capable of doing that.

"Brad Friedel has proved himself a quality keeper in the Premier League for a long time.

"He is 38 now, won't be going on forever, and my own view is I wouldn't want to be having anyone else around other than Brad Guzan at this minute.

"In time I see no reason why he shouldn't be our keeper for a long, long time if everything works out."