Martin O'Neill admits that Everton match is win-or-bust for Champions League-chasing Aston Villa

Apr 14 2010 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O’Neill believes tonight’s visit of Everton will be win-or-bust for Villa and their hopes of Champions League qualification.

After their second serving of Wembley woe, Villa will be looking to lift their spirits for the first of their final six Premier League fixtures of the season, starting with the Toffees at home tonight (7.45pm ko).

Nabbing fourth place ahead of fellow Champions League-chasers Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool is now the sole focus for O’Neill, who insists that his players have brushed their FA Cup heartache to one side.

But the Villa boss concedes that there’s now no room for failure and that anything but victory over Everton tonight would blow their chances of the top four.

“I think we should continue to fight right until the end,” insisted O’Neill. “We have a big game tonight, it won’t be easy but it’s a game that to keep ourselves in contention we’d have to win.

“There won’t be much room for slip-ups pretty much from our viewpoint between now and the end of the season if we want to stay in contention.