Villa not giving up the chase

Mar 27 2008

MARTIN O'Neill believes Villa must take heart from a recent mini-fall from grace of their European rivals.

Everton have picked up just one point from two games, Portsmouth have been beaten by Tottenham and Liverpool were defeated at Manchester United.

Manchester City have averaged a point a game over the last 10 league outings and Blackburn have stumbled against West Ham and Fulham.

It still gives Villa a mountain to climb in their quest to finish in the top five, but the Irishman insists he is not giving up until mathematically the game is up.

"We've got seven games left," he said. "We're on 49 points, which means we're not a phenomenal distance away and it's still worth chasing.

"No-one has been able to produce anything recently. Everton have only picked up one point from two games at a time when they were challenging Liverpool, who themselves have just been beaten by Manchester United.

"We're still trying to look after ourselves and if we can do that we'll be up there at the end of the season."

Villa have not won in four games which has dragged them back in to the pack.

O'Neill added: "It's up to us to start winning games again.

"If we'd secured victories against Sunderland and Middlesbrough then how we would have played wouldn't have mattered as much.

"A couple of weeks ago we went to the Emirates Stadium and played absolutely brilliant yet ended up with only one point and it's up to us to get back to that form and show what we can do."