Aston Villa players told: Prove you should be in Champions League
“They have had some great results. The one I remember which made me sit up and take notice was their brilliant effort at the Emirates when they came from behind to win.
“From that minute onwards everyone in the Premiership realised that this isn’t a flash in the pan.
“The past couple of Hull results have not been fantastic but the spirit and determination within that group of players is very, very strong.
“We played brilliantly against Arsenal and will need the same again.
“We should have been out of sight before half-time but went in a goal behind.
“We were involved in a real uphill struggle after conceding a second goal.
“But when we fought back and got the late equaliser it was no more than we deserved. It was a great point.”
O’Neill finds it hard to single out any one player as the key man for Villa this season and points to the impact of the whole squad as being crucial for keeping his side up among the big hitters.
“Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor have been fantastic this season and I could not be more pleased with the two of them,” said O’Neill. “But we have not got into this position with just these two lads.
“We have other players who have been playing exceptionally well. Stiliyan Petrov has had a great season. Garry Barry, with all the hullabaloo about Liverpool in the summertime, has settled down and gone on to show his ability.
“I could go through the side and say other people have been playing exceptionally strongly for us because to win these games in the Premiership is hard work.”
