OF all the players currently playing in the Premier League, none has a better defensive record than Sunderland's David Meyler. One game at centre-half; one clean sheet. You don't get much better than 100 per cent.

Slotting into the back four at MK Dons on Tuesday night, Meyler looked like someone who had played as a central defender all his life rather than a midfielder pressed into defensive service to plug a gap caused by injury and the desire to rest players ahead of this afternoon's Premier League game with Wigan.

So does the success of the switch mean the Republic of Ireland international is giving up on his dream of winning a place at the heart of the Sunderland midfield? Not a bit of it.

Meyler has not overcome two serious knee ligament injuries just to throw in the towel because he has been unable to secure a midfield berth in the nine months since Martin O'Neill was appointed as Black Cats manager.

Like all good professionals, he is willing to play anywhere if the manager so dictates. But he remains determined to prove himself as a central midfielder, and while David Vaughan is expected to get the nod in the absence of the suspended Lee Cattermole this afternoon, Meyler will continue to do all he can to push his claims.

“I'd love to get a central midfield slot,” said the 23-year-old, who has made 17 senior starts since joining Sunderland from Cork City in 2008. “I grew up playing centre mid and I still see that as my position.

“You always need to adapt your game and if the manager needs you to cover because players are injured or being rested, that's what you have to be able to do.

“Craig's (Gardner) played right-back this season, and looking at his performances, you would have thought he'd been playing right-back for ten years. He's been terrific and that just shows how important it is to be versatile.

“Obviously, I want to play in the middle, that's my first position, but if he needs me to play centre-half again, he knows I'll play there and give it everything I've got.”

Having barely featured under O'Neill in the second half of last season, it looked as though Meyler might have to leave Wearside on loan in order to secure regular first-team football.

A number of Championship clubs expressed an interest, most notably Hull City, whose manager, Steve Bruce , was an avowed admirer of the Irishman during his time at the Stadium of Light.

Meyler discussed his position with O'Neill, and was delighted to hear his manager recommending that he remain and fight for his place.

“There was a lot of speculation and talk about my future in the summer, but he (O'Neill) told me that he wanted me to stay here and push on,” he said. “That was great to hear. That's what I'm trying to do.”

Three Premier League substitute appearances, plus an appearance off the bench against Morecambe, had been the sum total of his involvement prior to Tuesday, with O'Neill seemingly reluctant to make too many changes for the Capital One Cup.

While other managers have chopped and changed their teams extensively already this season, O'Neill has tended to rely on a relatively small group of players.

This week's changes were largely enforced, and it is hard to imagine that Meyler would have started had John O'Shea and Titus Bramble not been nursing knocks.

There is unlikely to be too much experimentation in the next round of the League Cup, with Wednesday's draw having thrown up an enticing Wear-Tees derby against Middlesbrough, but while Meyler's chances are being hampered by O'Neill's reluctance to tinker, there is respect for the Northern Irishman's commitment to the cup competitions.

“Anyone who knows Martin O'Neill will know all about his cup record,” said Meyler. “He's had some terrific runs with Leicester and Aston Villa, and even at Celtic he won a lot of cup competitions.

“He takes big pride in the cups and it's fantastic for the supporters to be through to the next round. It'll be another big game and it's terrific for the supporters, as it is for us.”