Source: Team_Talk
Villa can't afford to slip up - O'Neill
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has told his side they cannot afford any "slips" as they bid to keep their Champions League dream alive.[LNB] Villa's win at Portsmouth on Sunday re-ignited their hopes of finishing fourth and securing a lucrative place in among Europe's elite.[LNB]But O'Neill knows it will be tough to win the battle for a top-four finish as they have a testing run-in and even a place in the Europa League is far from assured.[LNB]Wednesday night's Premier League hosts Hull will be fighting for their lives, while Villa entertain arch rivals Birmingham before tackling Manchester City who have their own Champions League aspirations.[LNB]Villa's final game of the season is at home against Blackburn and O'Neill said: "There are no easy games.[LNB]"We are playing catch-up, we know that and have been doing that for a few weeks and the situation is really straightforward.[LNB]"It is that we cannot afford to slip and we have to win our games.[LNB]"Even then, if we win all our games it is not entirely in our own hands.[LNB]"But the other run-ins that the other teams have are particularly difficult. I think everyone's is difficult and we have just got to keep going.[LNB]"That is why winning so late on at Portsmouth last weekend was important to us and that is the attitude that we will take into the game.[LNB]"In fairness, that is the attitude we have taken into the last few months even though we might have not had the wins that perhaps our play deserved."[LNB]With Hull battling for their Premier League survival, the stakes are high for both sides.[LNB]Iain Dowie was brought in by Hull to try and guide them to safety and O'Neill knows what a tough task he faces.[LNB]"It is difficult," added O'Neill.[LNB]"I think it is too easy for people to say you just need a change of manager and everything will be all right.[LNB]"It is just not as simple as that at all.[LNB]You have to get to know players and I think that given the number of games you have to try and turn things around it is not that easy.[LNB]"Hull made the change and they brought him in and he is doing his utmost to keep them in the league.[LNB]"While there might be a cagey opening to the game against them I can't see the game developing along those lines at all because both sides have really got to go for it."[LNB]Villa, who will leapfrog Liverpool into sixth with a victory at Hull, will not allow themselves to be distracted by the plight of Dowie's team as their sole focus is on taking 12 points from their final four games.[LNB]"Where there is life there is hope," said O'Neill.[LNB]"Anything can happen in the last four games.[LNB]To give ourselves a chance we have to win every single game.[LNB]"Of course, you need a little luck here and there.[LNB]We will keep battling and while the chance is there we are going for it.[LNB]"It is really vital that we win the games to give ourselves a chance of European football in any description."[LNB]O'Neill also backed midfielder Fabian Delph to bounce back strongly after he was ruled out for up to eight months with a knee ligament injury.[LNB]England Under-21 international Delph was injured in training last Saturday when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee.[LNB]He will have to undergo reconstructive surgery and manager Martin O'Neill said: "He puts his heart and soul into training.[LNB]"He loves the football and he just turned away from a couple of players, someone came in to close him down and he has fallen awkwardly.[LNB]"He will recover from it.[LNB]These things were career threatening about a quarter of a century ago but nowadays players recover from them very well and just take it as a normal injury, albeit one that takes longer to recover from."
