Danny Collins is happy to have won his place back in Roy Keane's Sunderland team.
Collins, 28, suffered the disappointment of losing his place to new signing Anton Ferdinand for the 1-1 draw at Wigan on September 13, but returned for the cup tie and retained his place at Villa Park with Nyron Nosworthy sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Collins, who broke his nose at the weekend, but is desperate to continue, added: "You ask any of the lads, you can go one of two ways: you can sit around the training ground and sulk about it, or you can get on with it and take it on the chin.
"That's what I did and thankfully, I have managed to get back in."