O’Leary takes strategy from ’89 Cup game

DAVID O’LEARY will cite a famous example from 15 years ago to ensure that his Aston Villa side do not press the panic button if they fail to score an early goal in the Carling Cup semi-final clash with Bolton tonight.

O'Leary was part of the Arsenal side that went to Liverpool for the final league match of the 1988-89 season needing to achieve an unlikely two goal victory to pip the Merseysiders for the title.

He remembers all the pre-match talk about needing to strike early to have any chance of toppling the Reds by the required margin except from the Gunners manager George Graham.