McAllister was promoted from Houllier's assistant to caretaker boss for Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke while the Frenchman remains in hospital recovering from chest pains.

The former Scotland midfielder has had managerial spells at Leeds and Coventry previously and is sure he can hold the fort at Villa Park until Houllier is fit to return.

He said: "The facts are I'm a professional man. I'm the number two and when the manager is not here, I've got to go in.

"I'm fortunate I've managed another big city club in Leeds and another not far away from here at Coventry.

"I've got experience and I've played with a lot of these type of players in my periods at Leeds and Liverpool so I think I know them.

"I'm trying to get better at knowing the character of the modern-day player.

"My experience is not massive. My main experience is coming from being an ex-player.

"But there's no doubt having worked with chairmen Ken Bates (at Leeds) and Mike McGinnity at Coventry, that bit of experience has helped."

Darren Bent grabbed Villa's equaliser at the weekend after Kenwyne Jones had put Stoke ahead.

Bent has now scored seven goals in 12 appearances following his controversial club-record £18million move from Sunderland in January.

The fee could rise to £24million depending on how the England striker performs and McAllister would love the club to shell out even more.

"I don't think that you can argue that Darren has been a fantastic signing," he said.

"You look at the prices that followed that (Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres) in January for signings and it is starting to look very good.

"If it is an £18 million fee and rising, it means Darren is hitting targets.

"I don't think Aston Villa will be complaining if the transfer fee goes up a bit because he is reaching the goals that have been set."

McAllister can detect an inner confidence in Bent regarding his own ability.

He said: "Darren does not moan if some things go against him like disallowed goals and penalty shouts.

"That's someone who trusts in his own ability because he knows, if he keeps working and making the movements, he will get another chance.

"That is a big skill. He has been in and around the Premier League a long time now and he knows his job.

"Strikers don't get disappointed when they miss chances or don't get the right service.

"They just keep going and know if they get the chance, they will take it.

"He also does not rant at referees. I like that. You see some strikers throwing their arms up in the air but he just quietly gets on with his job and does the business and he has produced.

"He has been rewarded. He is looking like maybe he could be Fabio Capello's main man for England."