Aston Villa: Martin O'Neill hits out at worst first-half performance this year
Martin O’Neill attributed Aston Villa’s first away defeat in eight Premier League games to one of their worst first-half performances of the season.
Villa’s Champions League aspirations were dented during last night’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City at Eastlands.
It leaves Villa only three points ahead of nearest rivals Arsenal in fourth place after two defeats and a draw from their last three league matches.
O’Neill admitted Villa were outplayed by Mark Hughes’ team during the first 45 minutes.
However, the manager was encouraged by his side’s second-half showing and refused to be too down-hearted about the defeat.
“I thought we played poorly for almost the whole first half, which is unlike us,” said O’Neill, after the defeat ended Villa’s record-breaking run of seven successive away victories.
“We can have a 10 or 15-minute period where we are second best as has happened over the course of the season – it happens to everyone – but this was a full 45 minutes. City started very brightly and kept their momentum going for at least a half -an-hour.”
O’Neill changed his team at half-time, introducing striker John Carew in place of defender Curtis Davies.
