Brad Friedel warns Aston Villa not to take Stoke lightly

Feb 28 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

BRAD Friedel has warned Villa they cannot afford to take Stoke City lightly.

The giant American has been in fine form since his summer move from Villa Park and despite their poor away record knows that the Premier League can throw up surprises at any time.

Memories of the 3-2 defeat at the Britannia Stadium are still fresh in his memory.

“There’s not one easy game in the Premier League. There’s not one easy game in any cup competition nowadays,” he said.

“If you’re mentally focussed there can be some easy games but that means you have to do things right at the beginning of the game to make the end of the game easy.

“Tomorrow’s game could be one of the most difficult games of the season, you just don’t know.

“We’re going to have to be mentally switched on and if we’re not we could get turned over.

“You have to know that going into each and every game.”

Martin O’Neill took no chances by resting eight of his first teamers in Moscow.

He says Stoke will be “a major test”.

“They will try to cause us plenty of problems,” he said.

“It will be difficult but it won’t deter us from going into the game with plenty of confidence.”