Villa good enough for top four, says Heskey

Aston villa's new signing Emile Heskey believes he has a great chance of returning to Champions League action next season.

And even manager Martin O'Neill is finding it difficult to deny that Villa are serious contenders to break up the dominance of the established "Big Four" in the Premier League.

Heskey's winning goal at Portsmouth on Tuesday night, just a few days after his £3.5m move from Wigan, lifted Villa level on points with second-placed Liverpool and just three behind leaders Manchester United, ahead of last night's games.

Villa left Fratton Park celebrating a club-record seventh away league win in a row. Heskey said: "Different teams have been trying to break up the top four for a lot of years now but I think we have a squad here with the qualities needed to do that. People work their socks off, defend well, chase everything. Gaby Agbonlahor is a great example. He is running up and down the channels, making runs for everyone. He even managed to flick the ball on for my goal.

"I've had some great times with some great clubs including the years with Martin at Leicester. Now, hopefully, we can have those again at Villa. Hopefully this manager can bring even more out of me – even at this age."

O'Neill is clearly hoping that Heskey, who turned 31 a couple of weeks ago, will deliver goals. The man who has returned to favour with England has scored an average of less than 10 league goals per season during his career, including three so far this term for Wigan. But Heskey did score 13 times in Europe for Liverpool and his partnership with Michael Owen for club and country showed his quality.

O'Neill said: "I know Michael Owen had talked about Emile as the perfect partner but I only realised recently that Wayne Rooney has been saying much the same thing. That's a real tribute. Let's hope the one against Portsmouth will be the first of many by Emile for us. God willing, he can stay fit and keep doing a great job."

The Villa manager insists his team will not become complacent now they are towards the top of the table – and he knows the likes of United, Chelsea and Liverpool will not ease off.

He said: "Those clubs are different class and the fact that we are beginning to make the race a little bit more interesting is really good, but it can still all collapse around us.

"We've been without John Carew for more than two months and, at the moment, Ashley Young [suspended] and Martin Laursen [injured] are missing as well. If you had told me at the beginning of the season that we would be without these players and yet still do as well as we are doing I just would not have believed you.

"Emile has made an excellent start for us. We've needed him to ease the burden on Gaby Agbonlahor who has been running himself into the ground up front and I'm delighted with him and for him."