Martin O’Neill’s men have been pretty damn good so far this season and they’re becoming a very good team to watch. Randy Lerner and Co. have transformed the Villans in a relatively short space of time after the bad years under Doug Ellis and I’m told that the match this Saturday is a 43,000 sell-out, which shows that the fans are now well and truly on board. Exciting players like Young, Agbonlahor and Carew have made a huge difference in revitalising the fortunes of the team in claret, while a solid spine in the form of Carson, Laursen and Barry has emerged in recent times, pushing them into the upper-echelons of the table. I dare say that Lerner and O’Neill could write a “how to” book which we could put to good use!

For ourselves, we follow up the disappointment of the draw against Middlesbrough with yet another fixture which can best be described as “tough” – even moreso when you look at the diminishing gap between us and the bottom three. For all our supposed delusions of grandeur, I’ve heard the word “relegation” uttered numerous times now and we cannot rest on our laurels. It stands to reason that we’re going to need to pick up a win or two from our remaining away games if we really want to be comfortably safe this season, and while Villa Park isn’t an expected victory for us anymore, a win is not impossible.

Both teams aren’t on the best run of form, which instantly seems to open things up a little and the news that both Agbonlahor and the constantly improving Petrov could be missing is another boost. For us, it looks as though an almost fully-fit squad is in prospect, with Jose Enrique back in business for Spain’s U21’s this week and Beye/Faye both back from Ghana. Oba is apparently a doubt and N’Zogbia is definitely suspended, which is a great shame, but Damien Duff looks to be getting better with every game and Emre/Barton both put in encouraging performances last time out.

Like I said, I’ll be happy with a draw, but we have to go down there looking for a win – hopefully with an attacking line-up which sees my perennial scapegoats Carr and Butt ousted from the first team. We’ll have a full sixteen of “senior” players, which makes a nice change, and so there won’t be too many excuses to be had if we don’t look like doing the business. We might not win, but all we ask is that we at least have a go and I’m sure Keegan, more than anyone else, knows this. With every passing game I keep telling myself that it will all click and we’ll be brilliant… I don’t see it happening just yet though.

No matter what KK does, no matter who he picks and no matter how we play, we simply cannot win a game; it’s frustrating. Be it poor performances, a fantastic turnout from the opposition or some terrible refereeing, things just aren’t going our way at the moment and until we get a win and build some confidence, nothing is going to change.

There is alot riding on the game against Villa and never have I used the phrase ‘must-win’ with such conviction. If we can get 3 points at Villa Park then I think it could be just what we need to get going, and hopefully end the season on a high. Europe is highly unlikely but there’s no reason why we can’t pull away further from the relegation zone and end the season with a bit of pride.

Villa are a very good team but they are a very good team going through a bad patch, the defeat against Fulham showing that they aren’t pulling that far away from us, despite what we think. The first goal is vital. An early goal will see us control the game, much like we should have done against Boro if the referee hadn’t disallowed Owen’s effort in the 6th minute.

Martins out through injury is a dissapointment but only a small hinderance. We need Owen to prove his worth, hopefully alongside Mark Viduka. With a team of Given, Beye, Cacapa, Enrique, Milner, Faye, Emre, Duff, Owen, Viduka - with the likes of Barton, Smith and Butt on the bench should we need their use, I can see us getting something there; I’d be happy with a draw.

We have to go there and try and win. In true Kevin Keegan style, ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!