Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill doesn't expect to spend big in January.

O'Neill believes his squad are already strong enough to avoid a repeat of last season's second half slide.

He admitted: "I wouldn't see at this minute us being active in bringing players in in January. Things change, but as we speak I don't think we will be bringing people in unless somebody left the club.

"I know it is only round the corner, and January is a long month, but I have not had long discussions with the owner about what we might do.

"There's very obviously interest in quite a number of our players and I would be loath to see too many leave. The fringe ones who have gone out on loan will come back and improve us.

"Nicky Shorey for instance is doing well at Forest and that's great when players like him come back.

"You can't rule it out completely because it's always possible we get a couple of injuries to big players, but at this moment I wouldn't encourage anybody to expect something."