O'Neill praises 'mesmeric' Young

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill singled out Ashley Young after a 'mesmeric' performance in the 2-2 draw with Wolves

Young, in front of the onlooking Fabio Capello, produced an impressive display giving Wolves full-back Ronald Zubar a torrid time and supplying a string of telling crosses.

O'Neill believes Young could only have impressed Capello with his showing.

"I thought Ashley was exceptional," beamed O'Neill. "He was mesmeric.

"If the England manager was here, that can only be good news for Ashley.

"He really was magnificent. He made the first goal but his overall performance was top class. He delivered so many dangerous crosses."

O'Neill was disappointed with the reaction of the crowd at half-time with Villa trailing 2-1 at the break and then cupped his ear towards supporters housed behind the dug-out at the final whistle.

Upset

"The opening 20-odd minutes was as good a display as we have produced in recent times.

"It was scintillating stuff and you should have got long odds on us being booed off at half-time.

"But that's the nature of things. I suppose a Carling Cup final appearance, the semi-finals of the FA Cup and battling for a top four place in the league is maybe what is expected to happen here every year.

"Does it upset me? I expect it. It is more the nature of the game nowadays than ever before.

"I don't think it is just an Aston Villa thing but not every single side has reached a cup final, a semi-final and with nine games to go is in the hunt for the top four."

O'Neill had warned before the game that Wolves would provide stern opposition and his fears were justified.

"There are no easy games in the division. Maybe if Chelsea, with their fantastic home record, draw at home with the bottom of the league then it would be a surprise," noted O'Neill.

"But in this division there are so many twists and turns I am sure the fight for a Champions League spot will go on to the end of the season.

"In terms of the effort the team put in, I am not despondent at all. It would have been great to keep the opening 25 minutes going but it was a different game in the second half and we had to fight every inch."

Injury fears

O'Neill revealed that striker Gabriel Agbonlahor had missed the game through a foot injury suffered in training on Friday and he is unsure how serious the problem is.

"Gabby stubbed his foot and opened up the ligaments in the joint which is a real blow for him," continued O'Neill.

"Is it a one-game injury? I don't know but it was still very sore this morning."