HATCHET MAN: Villa boss ONeill must play Gabby at Liverpool or risk letting fans win and Champions

Published: 20 Mar 2009 - 14:30:08

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HATCHET MAN: Villa boss ONeill must play Gabby at Liverpool or risk letting fans win and Champions

Martin O'Neill has to play Gabriel Agbonlahor at Liverpool on Sunday. After defending his young striker so forcefully in the wakeof the impatient and ungrateful jeers of Aston Villa fans last weekend, themanager has to back up his words with action. Beating the boo boys: Aston Villa star Gabriel Agbonlahor More from Hatchet Man... HATCHET MAN: Anorexic West Ham can't afford anything, least of all to keep on winning 20/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Here's Jonny... Well, Michael Owen actually but the Newcastle striker is just as fragile 20/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Liverpool's loss is England's gain as wise Lennon shuns Anfield to stay at Spurs 20/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Relief as Rafa pens new deal but it isn't Liverpool breathing a sigh 19/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Sir Alex's recruitment drive is bad news for Villa and Everton 19/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Boy in the hood Fabregas needs to leave Arsenal and find a manager who won't put up with his tantrums 19/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Palace look set for mid-table mediocrity so Warnock blames West Ham, Scudamore and refs 18/03/09 HATCHET MAN: Emirates spat proves Wenger and Brown are a disgrace to their profession 18/03/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE There has been talk that Agbonlahor will make way for thefit-again John Carew as O'Neill seeks to revive his team's charge for aChampions League place, but this would be a short-sighted mistake. Villa's game at Liverpoolis huge, they are running short of time and look clean out of momentum just asrivals Arsenal are getting back to full strength. But it is precisely because of that O'Neill has to showfaith in Agbonlahor. The young striker has done so much to put Villa in theposition they are in now and they will need him in the run-in. If he is sidelined now, even if it is for tactical reasons,it will look like the fans have won and could do serious damage to hisconfidence and their prospects for the rest of the season.