O’Neill challenges Villa to last the pace

ASTON VILLA manager Martin O’Neill has challenged his players to show they can last the pace in the battle to qualify for the Champions League.

Villa, who face Hull at the KC Stadium tonight, have emerged as the team most likely to gatecrash the top four in the Barclays Premier League this season.

They are handily placed at the midway point of the season but O’Neill said: “It is a tough struggle. We have got to show the same sort of desire and same sort of commitment for another five months.’’