Villa seek place at top table

MANCHESTER United will tomorrow discover if Aston Villa have the credentials to break the monopoly of the ‘big four’.

Judged on last Saturday’s emphatic victory at Arsenal, Martin O’Neill’s side certainly looks to have the capability to challenge for a Champions League place.

But if fifth-placed Villa are to achieve that goal, they need to reach a greater level of consistency as three of their four league defeats have been against Stoke, Newcastle and Middlesbrough, teams they would expect to beat in normal circumstances.

Villa’s progress under O’Neill is reminiscent to United under Sir Alex Ferguson when his successful side of the 1990s had a core of home-grown players.

Five of O’Neill’s eight summer signings were English - James Milner (Newcastle), Luke Young (Middlesbrough), Nicky Shorey (Reading), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea) and Curtis Davies (West Brom).

They joined the likes of striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who won his first cap for England against Germany this week when Gareth Barry was also the senior figure in midfield and Ashley Young was one of the substitutes.

Indeed, there were seven English players in the starting line-up at Arsenal which is unusual in the Premier League where home players have been squeezed out by overseas captures.

O’Neill cannot complain about the lack of investment made by American owner Randy Lerner, who splashed out around £45million on signings in the summer.

Villa’s progress will certainly be examined by back-to-back league fixtures against Arsenal and Manchester United.

They will also be looking to end a miserable home run against the Reds, whom they last beat on their home patch in the league on the opening day of the 1995/96 season when Alan Hanson warned Sir Alex Ferguson that he wouldn’t win anything with kids.

Since then, United have not lost in 12 league visits, the last nine ending in victory.