Aston Villa: Martin O'Neill reveals injury after Anelka "challenge"
Oct 19 2009 From the Birmingham Mail's Stud Marks column
VILLA fans weren’t the only ones swept off their feet by the impressive victory over Chelsea – just ask Martin O’Neill!
The manager was literally knocked off his when clattered by Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka on the touchline as the Frenchman chased a lost ball.
The giant striker took O’Neill out like a bowling ball would skittles, leaving the Northern Irishman with a cut elbow and a few bumps and bruises.
Anelka helped O’Neill to his feet and the Villa boss joked later: “I thought Anelka should have been sent off! But I took it like a man. I was very sore but I didn’t cry.
“I got in the way of it – but then again I could never tackle.
“I injured a lot of my pride but I’m fine.”
This article was taken from the Birmingham Mail's Stud Marks column, a sideways look at football which appears in the Birmingham Mail every Monday.
