Martin O'Neill said yesterday that Alan Pardew was fortunate it was David Meyler he had become embroiled with on the sideline on Saturday. The incident has cost Pardew an initial £100,000 fine from his employers who have warned him about his future conduct. O'Neill said it might have been worse had the incident involved a different player.

The Irish midfielder has won widespread praise for the way he reacted, or failed to react, to the apparent attempt by Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew to headbutt him.

The Republic of Ireland manager, who had a less physical falling out of his own with Pardew when the pair clashed over the latter's celebrations of a Newcastle goal while O'Neill was still in charge at Sunderland, said: "It didn't look good. I think Alan Pardew was lucky that it was Meyler that he was dealing with. A lot of players may have reacted differently to David. That's what I think."

Measured response
Earlier he said: "I think David did very, very well for the Newcastle manager. Other players may have gone down. His own club manager Steve (Bruce) made reference to that. I know David and I think overall he did very, very well for the Newcastle manager."

O’Neill knows Meyler having had him as a player at Sunderland at a time when the midfielder’s career was being badly disrupted by a succession of serious injuries.

The northerner expressed a wider admiration for the way the player had come through such a difficult period and said he was happy to see him playing so well at the top level these days.

“He’s a very popular guy and he did brilliantly according to the physiotherapist to recover from those injuries. Because he was so eager to get back quickly, he would always pick up a niggle here and there. This time he’s had a clear run of things and played a lot of football for Steve, which is really good and his overall game, I believe, has improved from the things I see in front of me.

“So from that viewpoint I’m really pleased. He’s a really a great fella and I’m delighted for him. I think he’s played a big part in getting Hull up after going there on loan initially, then signed permanently. He has done very well, so well done to him.”

Meyler was on course last night to be one of 25 players to report in for Wednesday's international friendly against Serbia but O'Neill admitted that he would not be entirely sure of the final size of his squad until those players involved yesterday, including Sunderland's John O'Shea, check in at the team hotel.

Injuries
Rob Elliott and Kevin Doyle withdrew over the weekend citing injuries and the manager confirmed yesterday afternoon that he has told Richard Dunne to stay in London and rest for the few days with a view to getting through the rest of the season and then playing in the May and possibly June friendlies.

He said he was sorry to have lost Andy Reid, who withdrew last week, for the game but insisted that he is happy to work with what he has.

Asked again about younger players, such as Watford’s Sean Murray, who he watched on Saturday, he said that quite a few of them looked to have the potential to make an impact over the longer term but he did not sound optimistic that they would displace existing squad members in the early part of the campaign although, he suggested, some might get a chance to show what they are capable of at the end of the season.

He admitted to being slightly disappointed that players like Aiden McGeady and Wes Hoolahan aren’t getting more first team football at their clubs but, he said, it is up to them to earn their places.

O’Neill was speaking before Hoolahan scored the opening goal of Norwich’s game against Aston Villa and declined to celebrate because, it seemed, Paul Lambert had tried to sign him in the winter window.

O’Neill said he is looking forward to working with the players again and to Wednesday’s game in which, he said, his team will try to be positive.

“We’re at home,” he said, “and I think the onus is on us to try and attack. People turning up for the game would want to see us going forward as much as possible.

“I’ll take in the quality of their side but the onus is on us to attack and that’s what we’re got to try and do.”