O'Neill fears Villa slump

Martin O’Neill admits he remains wary of Aston Villa losing their way during the second half of the season.

Manager O’Neill has seen Villa beaten only twice in their opening 16 Barclays Premiership games, against Liverpool at Anfield and at home to Manchester City.

But the Irishman knows a poor string of results could be just around the corner after seeing an occasional reminder of the poor performances that plunged the club into a relegation battle last season.

O’Neill said: “We will find our level. We are striving to be better than we have shown. Naturally, I am very pleased we are in a better position than we could have imagined.

“The players have been fantastic, have put their heart and soul into the games. The games we have won we have certainly deserved to win.

“Sitting sixth, seventh, eighth, whatever, is better than being fourth or fifth from bottom, but I just think we are wary.

“I think we have been beaten twice in 16 league games. I would certainly have taken that before the season started and I’ve been very pleased.

“But we can get well and truly beaten in a few games and there might be a slide we might find difficult to arrest, so the more points we get now the better for us.

“We are capable of not picking up a point for three or four games, just as we are capable of winning a couple of matches.

“Last Wednesday’s game with Middlesbrough was a timely reminder of how difficult the Premier League is. There is a sigh of relief in the sense, if we play like we did in the first half of that game, that we’ve got 24 points already.

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

O’Neill may be forced to revise his plans in the January transfer window after reports that Tottenham striker Robbie Keane could be sidelined for a month through injury.

Keane is understood to be one of the players O’Neill is keen to sign, along with Newcastle winger James Milner, who spent last season on loan at Villa Park.