Aston Villa can´t afford more mistakes: O´Neill

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill admits his side can’t afford any more mistakes if they are to resurrect their fading challenge for a Champions League place.

Villa looked well placed a few weeks ago to pip Arsenal to a top four Premier League finish and secure a place in Europe’s top club competition next season.

But a poor run of form, which has seen the Birmingham-based club fail to record a win in their last seven league outings, has left them struggling to finish in the top five.

With six games remaining, O’Neill insists Villa can still make the top four but he admits they must return to winning ways – starting on Saturday at home to West Ham United.

“We have six games left and it’s going to be a tall order (to achieve a Champions League place),” said O’Neill, whose side start the weekend eight points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.

“For us to have any chance, we can’t slip up now. It would certainly make it interesting if we went on an extended run.”

Despite the poor run, O’Neill believes there has been little wrong with Villa’s performances.

“It’s up to us now. We need to turn our impressive performances into victories,” he added.

“Points are so difficult to come by in the Premier League. You go along merrily when you have won a few games and you think that life is rosy and terrific.

“You think that winning is just an easy habit forming. Then you stutter and you can’t get back on track for a while.

“You lose games you feel you should have got something out of. It’s hard to turn that around. It’s then about getting back to winning ways.

“For us, these six games are so vital. The importance of three points cannot be underestimated.

“Psychologically, the difference between drawing and winning a game will be like night and day.”

John Carew is hoping for a repeat of his first encounter with West Ham. Two seasons ago the 29-year-old Norway striker marked his home debut with the winning goal as Villa saw off the London club 1-0.

“It was my first goal for the club and it was a fantastic day for me,” said Carew, who has scored in each of his last two appearances to take his tally for the season to 13 goals.

That goal gave a clear indication that Carew would not take long to adapt to the demands of the Premier League following his move from Lyon.

“It’s been fantastic,” added Carew. “When you are in one league and you come to another one they always play a different type of football with different ways of doing things even though it is the same game.

“It can take time to adapt but I’ve adapted quite quickly. The league has suited me well.”

West Ham represent a formidable challenge for Villa.

They are just two places below them in seventh spot with manager Gianfranco Zola expected to be boosted by the return of Czech Republic midfielder Radoslav Kovac, although Scott Parker is a doubt again as he continues to recover from a groin injury.

“I remember so many games where Villa were struggling and then they nicked a goal at the end,” said Zola.

“It is always a team that has to be handled very carefully, and have a lot of potential. Maybe they are not as dangerous as they were at the start of the season, but they are a team that you have to treat with respect.”