Villa can reduce the gap - O'Neill

07 April 2009 16:00
Martin O'Neill refuses to be downbeat despite Aston Villa's defeat to Manchester United and has instead issued a top-four rallying call. The Villa boss endured a miserable afternoon at Old Trafford on Sunday after watching his side impress in taking a 2-1 lead, before an injury-time wonder goal from substitute Federico Macheda completed a dramatic comeback for Sir Alex Ferguson's side. O'Neill is far from ready to throw in the Champions League towel though, despite Arsenal's victory over Manchester City taking them six points clear in fourth in the Premier League table, and on the contrary is backing his players to battle until the death. With Everton in fine form and just a point behind Villa in sixth, O'Neill recognises there can be no resting on laurels between now and the campaign's close. "I think the irony of it all is we'll take great heart from the performance and I think that, more than anything else, might be able to sustain us," he told the Birmingham Mail. "Six points at this stage is a big, big gap, I accept that, but we're capable of winning. "We need to win quite a significant number of matches between now and the end. "The one ingredient that we need is just that wee slice of luck, that little slice that might see things through. Everybody needs it; even the great Sir Alex needs it." He added: "It's an old cliche about the pride in the shirt - I think we've worn it with plenty of pride this season. "You don't go away from home and win the number of games that we have done without some character, determination and ability in the team. "We've come here to Old Trafford and we've deserved something from the game. "We fought from a goal behind to get ourselves level, to get ourselves in front. We could have been further in front in the game. We've shown plenty of attacking ability as we have all season. "We've come here and treated the crowd as well to the game, but we've been beaten."

Source: Eurosport