O'Leary relishing Reds visit

Aston Villa boss David O’Leary is under no illusions about the size of his side’s task as they bid to get their Premiership campaign up and running against Liverpool on Sunday.

O’Leary acknowledges that while both clubs are desperate for a win after opening day defeats, their long-term agendas are very different.

“I took over a club in 16th place and I knew that every game was going to be tough,” he said.

“But Liverpool are coming here expecting to win because they are better than us. Our agenda is to improve and Liverpool’s is to win the league.”

The Dubliner maintains we will not see best of Villa for at least three seasons but remains positive about his side’s chances of fulfilling their initial ambition of mid-table security.

The vultures immediately began to circle after the opening day defeat at Portsmouth but O’Leary found much to be positive about despite the result at Fratton Park.

He professed his delight with the debuts of Gavin McCann and Thomas Sorensen and was further boosted this week by Darius Vassell’s decision to sign a new three-year contract.

O’Leary added: “I am not taking any of the glory for Darius because it was the board who got the deal done and full credit to them for that.

“I’m delighted that I’ve got a good player staying here because you do not want your good players to leave.

“Darius has improved on the training pitch. He was not fit enough to play in the reserves on Tuesday but he needs games badly and hopefully he will be in contention.”

O’Leary’s other major headache is whether to recall defender Olof Mellberg, who was surprisingly dropped for the visit to Fratton Park.

Mellberg is likely to come in for Ronny Johnsen but Swede Marcus Allback was a midweek international casualty – his strained hamstring likely to rule him out for at least three weeks.

O’Leary insisted: “I just cannot fault the attitude of every player since I came here.

“I could not accuse them of any lack of effort last week because it was all about giving silly goals away and not taking chances.

“We didn’t score enough goals last season and when you can’t score and you give teams two-goal head starts you are in trouble.”

O’Leary shrugged off suggestions that Sunday’s clash would be any more special because it marks his competitive home debut as Villa boss.

“I am looking forward to the day but I am looking forward more to the next few years of shaping this team properly so that we can compete with the Liverpools and Arsenals.”