O'Neill - Carew can improve

Carew: O'Neill backing

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Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has set John Carew a 20-goal target and believes the striker can become one of the best in Europe.

Carew, Villa's leading scorer, has netted nine times this season despite missing two months of the campaign with a knee injury.

The Norwegian international's goals have helped fire Villa - who sit sixth in the Premier League - into contention for a place in Europe next season, but O'Neill believes Carew can improve.

"To see John up to the nine-goal mark is great - and there's no reason why he shouldn't go on to become a 20-goals-a-season man," said the Villa boss.

Capabilities

"John had a knee injury earlier in the season, and to be a 20-goals-a-season marksman you have to play the requisite number of games.

"But he should be able to do that and also reach that number of goals, no doubt at all.

"That's the sort of thing I'm looking for from him, and I think he's a miles better player than he thinks he is himself."

And O'Neill believes Carew, who joined Villa from Lyon in January 2007, has all the capabilities to intimidate defenders.

Nightmare

"He's a nightmare for defenders - but not just with pace, power and presence," O'Neill added.

"He has great ability to get the ball down, manoeuvre and bring people into the game. John is looking for consistency.

"You are striving for excellence every game you play. But if you don't achieve that, you still want to cause a lot of problems to defenders.

"Ironically, in some of the games I felt John wasn't as effective as he can be - but opposition managers have said afterwards that he has been a handful all afternoon.

"He has got the ability - and if he could get increase that consistency factor, there is no reason to stop him being one of the best centre-forwards in Europe."