O'Neill claims Barry irreplaceable

Martin O'Neill is thankful Gareth Barry decided to stay at Aston Villa in the summer.

Martin O'Neill believes Gareth Barry would have proved irreplaceable if he had left Aston Villa in the summer.

Villa's opponents on Saturday Portsmouth tabled a bid for the then wantaway Barry during the summer transfer window, only for the arrival of O'Neill to persuade the former Brighton player to remain in Birmingham.

Barry has since signed a new four-year contract with the club and has even been made captain by an admiring O'Neill.

"Gareth was definitely pondering his future at the time I arrived here and I think he was quite close to leaving," said O'Neill.

"I can only say I am delighted he stayed on and he has proved himself this season. He is playing at the top of his form and he has been fantastic here.

"He has been fantastic for Villa for a long time but he certainly seems to have stepped up a gear again. I am pleased he stayed on because we would have been in a lot of trouble had he left.

"I wouldn't have been able to have found a replacement like him at all in the time given. I am not so sure I would have been able to find a replacement if we had three or four months to try and do it.

"He is really top class. He is a talented boy and has got a big appetite to do the work. His heart and soul is in the football club."

O'Neill is desperate for his side to respond in positive fashion at Fratton Park after Manchester City ended his team's unbeaten home record in midweek.

"Despite the fact we are getting confidence from the games, until you are constantly winning games, it can be eroded relatively quickly," added O'Neill.

"Now we have to pick ourselves up and really go to Portsmouth and apply ourselves all afternoon in the same way we did up at Everton three weeks ago.

"Wednesday's game was a timely reminder of how difficult the Premier League is and, if we play like in the first half of that game, I am delighted we've got 23 points on the board already.

"Overall I am delighted with the team but we have a fair way to go and we know that and everyone knows that."