O’Neill: Young Is As Good As Messi And Ronaldo

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill has hailed the recent displays of Ashley Young and admitted he feels his player can go on to be as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Whilst Young has been quietly impressive ever since moving to Aston Villa from Watford back in 2007, he hit the headlines last week with a match-winning brace against Everton last weekend.

Speaking to The Guardian, his manager reveals exactly how highly he rates his young winger.

“I think Ashley’s a word-class performer I really do,” said O’Neill, “I don’t use [those words] too often but he’s absolutely class. And he’s far from reached his peak. If you look at other top quality players who are 22 or 23 and who are absolutely brilliant … you look at people like Ronaldo and Messi and ask how they can improve, but they do, they just get better.”

His manager also admitted that the winning goal Young scored at Goodison Park last weekend in injury time to complete the victory over Everton, proved his quality.

“Could you name me two dozen players in the world who could have scored the second goal that he scored against Everton?” asked the Villa boss, “I can’t. To have the presence of mind … in the last minute of a game in which he had worked tirelessly … to have the energy to do it was remarkable. To have that poise was world class.”

The young winger has proved a vital member of the Villa squad that has surged up the table this season and look to be in with a chance of finishing in the top four.

The former Watford man has four Premier League goals to his name already this season and O’Neill is clearly expecting plenty more from the 23-year-old. He concluded: “I watch a lot of football and you see a lot of players playing the game who are very functional. Some are decent, some are more than decent and some are very good. And then you have players who are absolutely exceptional and Ashley Young is absolutely exceptional.”

--Gill Clark, Goal.com