The clash at Villa Park on Sunday sees new goalkeeper Friedel up against his former Blackburn manager, Mark Hughes, who left Ewood Park to take charge at City earlier this summer.

Friedel, who cost Villa £2.5million from Blackburn last month, has the highest regard for Hughes but that will count for nothing on Sunday.

The American keeper said: "Knowing Mark very well he will have all their guns blazing.

"I have all the time in the world for Mark and his staff, they are tremendous people to work for but for 90 minutes we won't be friends, so to speak.

"It will be a difficult first game but we are at home and we are going to work as hard as we can to get three points.

"I am glad to be at Villa. Villa Park was always my first choice and as soon as I saw the set-up here it wasn't a difficult decision."

Villa's new £4million left-back Nicky Shorey will also be making his first appearance at Villa Park following his switch from Reading and he has a simple aim for the season - to be a star for club and country.

Shorey, 27, hopes his move from relegated Reading will earn him an England recall so he can add to his two caps.

Fabio Capello saw him in action against FH Hafnarfjordur in the UEFA Cup qualifier on Thursday and Shorey said: "Once you play for England you want to keep on playing for England.

"It would be good to get back there but the first thing on my mind is trying to get into the Aston Villa team. I'll take it one step at a time.

"But there are some quality English players here so I'm sure I am in the right place to be noticed by Fabio Capello."

Shorey, who was snapped up by Martin O'Neill after left-back Wilfred Bouma dislocated his ankle in the Intertoto Cup against Odense, is convinced the future is bright under O'Neill.

He added: "Villa are a massive club. There were other clubs interested in me but this is such a big club and the manager is very positive and ambitious about the future.

"I am ambitious myself and I want to show people what I can do as a Premier League player.

"This is a big chance for me and I am grateful for the opportunity.

"At a club like Villa I think I can achieve everything that I want to in my career.

"Villa are certainly going places and it is an exciting time to have joined the club.

"The chairman is backing up the manager's ambitions and I want to be part of that.

"I got a good feel as soon as I spoke to Martin. He made me feel at ease and he made me feel wanted."