Source: SKY_Sports
O'Neill putting league first
Martin O'Neill has admitted that he will have to think carefully about his selection policy in the Uefa Cup as Aston Villa continue to chase a top-four finish in the Premier League.[LNB] Villa drew 1-1 with CSKA Moscow in the first leg of their Uefa Cup tie on Wednesday as John Carew's strike cancelled out Vagner Love's opener.[LNB]A place in the last 16 is up for grabs but O'Neill is contemplating making changes for Thursday's second leg in the Russian capital.[LNB]Villa have enjoyed a splendid Premier League campaign and O'Neill realises that his focus has to be on qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League.[LNB]"The irony of it all is that we spent all last year breaking our necks to get into the Uefa Cup. We started in July in the Intertoto just to get into it," he said.[LNB]"Now we are in the final 32 and we are maybe having second or third looks at it.[LNB]"I have to try and please Villa fans and I think they would look at that and think the Premier League, which can eventually drive you into the Champions League, is the Holy Grail.[LNB]Strange"It seems strange we are in that position. Had we been seventh, eighth, 10th in the league, it might have been a different outlook.[LNB]"Football has changed and chasing a top-four place in the Premier League, to get you into the Champions League, is everything."[LNB]O'Neill has taken the Uefa Cup seriously this term and only rested players for the group game against Hamburg which lacked any real significance.[LNB]He explained: "We left a few behind for the Hamburg trip but the difference was we had already qualified. I will have a look and see where we are.[LNB]"I'll have a look at iton Monday and see where we go. We have made all this effort to get into the Uefa Cup in the first place. We are there but I knew these things (the schedule) were coming up."[LNB]
