O'Neill: Villa dream is over

MARTIN O’NEILL saw Aston Villa fight back from a two-goal deficit then conceded their Champions League hopes are virtually over.

Everton boss David Moyes is also backing Arsenal to finish fourth after the Gunners’ closest rivals shared a point in a 3-3 thriller.

Villa chief O’Neill said: “This is a result that suits Arsenal. I wouldn’t disagree with what David thinks.

“We won’t give up but Arsenal have been on a long unbeaten run and we need to win every game.”

Moyes admitted: “Arsenal’s win on Saturday makes it very difficult for us to get there. Until it is mathematically impossible we won’t give up the chase. But you have to be realistic here. Villa and Everton have had a go at competing with the big four and come up a little short.

“Arsenal looked like they might struggle for a while earlier this season and if things had gone against them then you could see an opening.

“It was nice to entertain but it would have been nicer to win.” Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill put Everton in charge before John Carew got one back.

Steven Pienaar restored the two-goal advantage only for Villa to clinch a draw with a James Milner free-kick and a Gareth Barry penalty.

Moyes contested the decision to award a spot-kick after Joleon Lescott’s boot caught Stiliyan Petrov in the head.

He said: “I thought it was an indirect free-kick for dangerous play. You are allowed to raise the boot in the area and it was accidental. I also thought we should have had another penalty when Jo was pushed in the back.”

Fifth-placed Villa are now eight points behind Arsenal. O’Neill added: “Defensively, we conceded three goals at home and if you are going to win you shouldn’t be asking to score four goals.

“I thought we were fantastic going forward, a dream. But it was a great game.”

By JANINE SELF