Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool can crush Villa's Champions League dream, warns Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill believes Liverpool are capable of repeating the feat ofArsenal last season and rescuing a Champions League spot via a longunbeaten run during the second half of the campaign.[LNB]Aston Villa boss O'Neill recalls how his side were in poleposition to claim a Barclays Premier League top four place before theGunners hit top form in the final third of the season to overhaul them.[LNB]Now a similar challenge is confronting the Reds, who visit fourthplaced Villa tomorrow, after a below-par opening half of the season andO'Neill believes they are capable of the same sort of feat.[LNB] Flying: Steve Sidwell lines up against Stoke during a run for Aston Villa that has put them in the hunt for a top-four finish[LNB]O'Neill, whose side won 3-1 at Anfield in August, said: "Liverpoolhave lost a few games more than they would have thought. Last seasonthey were terrific.[LNB]Warning: Martin O'Neill [LNB]"They went through the whole season and lost two games. Afterthree games of this season, they had lost two games, but they aregetting a bit of momentum again.[LNB]"It was a big win for them at Anfield against Wolves at theweekend. We've got to be right ourselves, but they are still in there.[LNB]"I heard Arsenal were supposed to be imploding last season, justabout February time, when I think they were in the middle of a 22-gameunbeaten run![LNB]"They finished the season very, very strongly and Liverpool arecapable of doing the same thing. They are capable because it'sLiverpool Football Club.[LNB]"Look at Arsenal now. Four weeks ago they were being written offfor the title and now they are right bang in there. That's what canhappen with the top clubs."[LNB]O'Neill is unconcerned at what reaction there will be to Villa's3-0 defeat against Arsene Wenger's side and does not believe hisplayers will suffer any hangover to that setback for when they tackleLiverpool.[LNB]He said: "I'm not too bothered about who says what. I didn't gettoo carried away when we went to Old Trafford a couple of weeks ago andwon there.[LNB] Fighting back: Yossi Benayoun scores for Liverpool in their 2-0 defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday[LNB]"It was three points, it was a boost to confidence and it wasterrific. It changed a desperately poor record for us there as well,our first win there for 26 years.[LNB]"But equally any side can go to Arsenal and get beaten, so Iwouldn't start to think the result was a major shock all over Europe.[LNB]"You can get beaten, but what we have to do is fight back against Liverpool and try to win."[LNB]Villa will be without suspended England winger Ashley Young against the Reds.[LNB]Young has started all 19 of Villa's league games to date thisseason but will have to serve a one game ban for collecting his fifthyellow card of the campaign at the Emirates Stadium.[LNB]O'Neill had hinted going into the Christmas period that he maymake changes, particularly with Liverpool having an extra 24 hours torecover from their clash against Wolves.[LNB]Striker John Carew, defenders Habib Beye and James Collins plusmidfielders Nigel Reo-Coker, Steve Sidwell and Fabian Delph will comeinto the equation for a possible start.[LNB] ALL THE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NEWSVintage Claret? We ask Villa heroes of '82 what they think of O'Neill's sideAndy Townsend: Agbonlahor has a gift, but he needs help at Aston VillaNo diving? As the tumbles continue, tell us who is the worst offender in the Premier LeagueASTON VILLA FC
