Aston Villa Football Club News

• Nickname:The Villains
• Founded:1874
• Manager:Alex McLeish

• Ground:Villa Park
• Capacity:42,584

Heskey: Top four a long shot

20 Apr 2009 - 09:51:09

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Striker Emile Heskey has admitted that Aston Villa's hopes of securing Champions League football for next season are now hanging by the narrowest of threads.

Villa's slump in playing fortunes continued when West Ham United salvaged a point with a late equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 draw.

The Midlands have now gone 11 league and cup games without a win and the point they collected was only their third in eight matches.

Villa are now seven points adrift of Arsenal in fourth place with just five games remaining in the season and Heskey - a £3.5million January signing from Wigan Athletic - has admitted the odds of overturning that deficit are now long.

"It is hard for all of us," said the England striker.

"There were so many highs this season, there were bound to be a few lows. I am still happy I am here and I want to do well for Villa.

"It is going to be hard to get into the Champions League this season but this can be like a stepping stone.

"This club is trying to break into that top four and hopefully we can do it."