Stiliyan Petrov has vowed to show Aston Villa fans why manager Martin O'Neill splashed out £6 million to sign him from Celtic last season.

Petrov said: "To be honest, the manager knows me better than anyone and I don't complain (when left out).

"Nigel Reo-Coker and Gareth Barry have been doing well and you can't ask for anything more.

"I know I haven't been performing the way everybody expects me to do but I'm the first to criticise myself if things aren't going well. I get frustrated as well but I've been working hard.

"It is great to be playing in the team again and the reaction from the fans when I came off near the end of the game with Bolton was great.

"I know what I can do, what I am capable of, and they will see that from me more and more. Hopefully I will keep my place for the trip to Derby this weekend."

Petrov is refusing to give up on Villa qualifying for Europe after the 4-0 win against the Trotters ended a run of five matches without a victory.

He said: "We performed very well against Bolton and it was great to win again, clock up the four goals and also keep a clean sheet.

"Now we hope we can keep that level of performance going. It is still all to play for and Europe is still a possibility. If we keep going in this vein then I am sure we will still get into Europe.

"But Derby will be a hard game in the sense that all the pressure is on us. They've got nothing to fight for in the sense they are already relegated so it's up to us to play the right way.

"Derby haven't won a game for a while and I hope they won't end that run against us. We have to make sure that doesn't happen and we have to put in a lot of hard work again."