Aston Villa linked to £10m move for Portsmouth's Jermain Defoe

Dec 29 2008 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

“There always seems to be a bit of room and we have got the players who can exploit that,’’ he said.

“We have already won as many as last season away and to have won six away from home at this stage is great.

“To go away and feel you are capable of winning – that’s a good thing.”

Villa’s away record – as impressive as it is – is still bettered by Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton.

O’Neill commented: “Chelsea’s first points dropped away from home were at Everton a game before Boxing Day. That is fantastic in anybody’s book.

“You always think that the major sides are capable of winning away anyway, but as for a group of sides being capable of winning away – look at Everton.

“They have won twice at home but their away record is great.

“Once you win early on and feel you can win, then you feel you can go on and on.

“The longer it goes on without winning away from home, then it becomes a real bug bear.’’