Villa’s title deeds leave O’Neill purring

THE perfect day for James Milner and Aston Villa was complete when he, along with five team mates, was called into Fabio Capello’s England squad for this week’s friendly in Spain.

The more relevant issue, to the football community at large, is just how far this particular success story can go. Briefly in joint second place, until Liverpool’s late comeback at Fratton Park, Villa may yet find themselves, inconceivable as it may sound, as the only contender left standing to challenge defending champions Manchester United.

Not that Milner, or his loquacious manager Martin O’Neill, will tell you that. Quite wisely, O’Neill decided long before his team’s current club-record seven-game away winning streak not to enter the prediction game.