O'Neill: Aston Villa can't afford to come unstuck against Everton

Apr 9 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Post

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill says the time for talking has come to an end and his players must not allow their season to drift any further.

His side are reeling from four successive league defeats and a run of one point from a possible 18 in the Premier League which has seen Arsenal open up a six point gap.

That cushion could be nine points by the time Villa play Everton on Sunday in a match described as “vital to both clubs” by the Irishman with Arsenal travelling to Wigan on Saturday.

Everton are on a roll under David Moyes and a victory at Villa Park would see them leapfrog Villa into fifth position although both clubs would seem to be almost certain to at least be in the ­Europa League (formerly the Uefa Cup) next season.

“It is a really vital game for both clubs,” O’Neill said. “It is a big match. Everton are just breathing down our necks at this moment.

“They are going very well and have an FA Cup semi final to look forward to.

“It has been reported that they think they can finish fourth in the league and therefore perhaps our own ambitions might not be that far off the mark.

“We just have to win some games. There is no point talking about it. There is no point letting things drift any further.

“We have to go and win. It is a big game for us, a big game for Everton and big game for our fans.”

O’Neill was yesterday hit by a charge of improper conduct by the Football Association after his side’s 3-2 defeat by Manchester United.

The charge concerns his behaviour towards referee Mike Riley after Sunday’s loss at Old Trafford.

O’Neill claimed Riley missed a foul on Ashley Young before Federico Macheda’s stoppage-time winner and was ­aggrieved at several earlier decisions.

“The officials also got three offsides wrong,” he said.