Villa entertain Liverpool on Sunday and also face Arsenal and Chelsea in the next fortnight. McLeish is aware of the task of competing with the spending power of the likes of the Reds who splashed out £20million to sign winger Stewart Downing from Villa last summer. But he wants his squad to relish such opportunities as Villa strive to cement their spot in the top half of the table. McLeish said: "There is a bit of a difference in the spending power in what Liverpool have spent and who they've brought to the club. "You are talking about guys who can make a huge difference, not only in club but world football. "We are going in against teams like that as underdogs in almost every game. "But we are at home and the players have got to have no fear at this great stadium of ours. "We've got to try and make sure the teams are leaving Villa Park knowing they've been in a big game. "There is no doubt games like this can bring the best out of players. "This is where they earn their corn and get recognised as great players when they start to take points off the big guns." Marc Albrighton is one player McLeish is hoping can help fill Downing's role after his summer exit. The winger has struggled to command a regular spot this season after a dip in form but looked back to his best when scoring in last weekend's win at Bolton. McLeish said: "Albrighton looks like he has found a wee bit of quality again. He never stopped working hard to get his form back and that is all you can do, never give up. "Last weekend we saw the Marc Albrighton that shone brightly in last season's campaign. "In terms of lack of first-team football, it is down to the player. It's players who get themselves in the team and players who get themselves out of the team, pure and simple. "Marc wasn't doing well enough quality-wise to get into the team but he was really working hard which is why we kept him a big part of everything and we never discarded him." McLeish has played down speculation skipper Stiliyan Petrov is available to leave Villa Park in January. He said: "I've not said that. When I came in I looked at Villa's midfield and Stiliyan was the only experienced one in there. "I genuinely felt we would need his experience this season. "I know he has modified his game and has had to learn to do that since moving here from Celtic. "But he always had a great strike on him as you've seen with his contribution of three goals this season." Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor will serve a one-game ban for incurring five bookings this season with Emile Heskey and Nathan Delfouneso in contention to partner Darren Bent.
