Source: Telegraph
Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill admits Arsenal can't be caught
Villa are now three points behind Arsenal with a trip to Old Trafford beckoning after the international break, and O'Neill conceded his squad is running out of steam.
"You would have to say now there won't be much of a threat from us to Arsenal's position," he said. "It's no fluke that the top four are where they are and we are in a dip right now.
"We are not as strong as those four clubs. I have said it many times before and I will say it again — we still have a lot of catching up to do.
"It is still reachable as Arsenal have many tough games to come. But they are getting some of their injured players back and it's going to be very, very tough."
Having spent much of the season in the top four, O'Neill warned his side that now was the time to stand up and be counted.
Insisting Villa cannot afford to throw away what for the most part has been an impressive season, O'Neill added: "We've got a lot of catching up to do in every aspect. It has been a real fine effort this season, but we can't just go and disintegrate – we have to start winning some games and once we win the confidence will return.
"Liverpool produced a fine game, and we couldn't live with it. We are not despondent, but we know we have to start winning again."
Meanwhile, England manager Fabio Capello has left Villa duo Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor out of his squad to face Slovakia in next weekend's friendly and the following Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
Their exclusion comes following a run of under par performances for Villa.
