O'Neill wary of Gunners

Villa boss hoping to emulate win at Emirates

Last updated: 22nd December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

O'Neill wary of Gunners

O'Neill: Impressed by Arsenal

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Martin O'Neill accepts that it will be difficult for Aston Villa to claim another victory over Arsenal.

Villa turned in a superb display to win 2-0 at Emirates Stadium last month and they have since opened up a three-point lead over the Gunners.

O'Neill has been quick to cool expectations in recent weeks and he realises the size of the task facing his men on Boxing Day.

But he is proud of the way Villa have performed over the first half of the season and hopes his players can keep up their form.

"I think for ourselves at the moment, I wouldn't want to start thinking we are better than we are," O'Neill told Sky Sports News.

"We are doing fine. It has been a great effort by the team and it is a big, big game on Boxing Day.

"We played so well at the Emirates. We now have to go and emulate that and try to surpass it.

"We will do as much as we can to win the game."

Exceptional

O'Neill was impressed by the way Arsenal fought to earn a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at the weekend.

Emmanuel Adebayor was sent off with almost half an hour remaining but the Gunners were rarely threatened in the closing stages and continued to press forward.

O'Neill commented: "I think they played exceptionally well against Liverpool once they went down to 10 men.

"To keep the ball in the fashion they did and carve out the chances they did, I think that speaks volumes for a side that still has designs on winning the championship.

"They have been a class side for a number of years and it is up to us to do our utmost to try and win this game."