Source: Daily_Mail
Aston Villa 3 Everton 3: Barry spot on as O'Neill's men fight back for a point
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill admitted his side have a mountain to climb to claim a Champions League spot after being held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Everton at Villa Park.
Villa came from 3-1 down to salvage a point and remain in fifth place, one point ahead of their Merseyside rivals.
But they are now eight points adrift of Arsenal, who also have a superior goal difference, with just six games remaining.
O'Neill said: 'Are we out of the Champions League? I would notdisagree. I think either of us had to win to keep in touch. It is aresult that suits Arsenal.
'With Arsenal winning yesterday it will now be very hard but we shouldn't just give up the fight like that.
'Arsenal have some very tough games ahead, so have we, so we just have to go and win them and see what happens.
Getting ahead: Tim Cahill celebrates after using his noggin to claim Everton's second
'I am not giving up but it will be very hard.'
Everton
manager David Moyes had a similar opinion, adding: 'I think the Arsenalresult yesterday has made it very difficult for any of us to get there.
'If Villa had beaten us they would think they would still be inwith a shout and if we had won, we would have not given up the chase.
'You don't say never until it is mathematically impossible but realistically it will be hard to get fourth place.
'Aston Villa and Everton have tried hard to push the top boys this season but have come up a little bit short.
'But given the players we have had missing this season, if we finish fifth or sixth it will be excellent for us.
'If you had given me that at the start of the season I would have taken it, especially with the players we've had missing.'
O'Neill was full of praise for the way in which Villa twice came from two goals behind to salvage a point.
He said: 'I thought we were fantastic going forward, although defensively we were not so clever.
'But we showed tremendous character and determination when 2-0 and 3-1 down and the fans were fantastic towards us today.'
Moyes felt his side were hard done by with the penalty awarded against Joleon Lescott for a foul on Stiliyan Petrov, Gareth Barry converting the spot-kick to make it 3-3.
He said: 'I thought it might havebeen an indirect free-kick because all Joleon has done is put his footup to try and get the ball.'
O'Neill said: 'In my opinion weshould have had a penalty for a foul on John Carew just beforehalf-time and Ashley Young also had a reasonable claim.'
