Gareth Barry: Aston Villa Can Finish In Top Four

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EPL: Gareth Barry receives congratulations from his Aston Villa team-mates after scoring against Blackburn. (PA)

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After an unbeaten run of nine games that has allowed them to put a three-point cushion between themselves and Arsenal, Aston Villa are mounting a serious challenge for a Champions League spot this season.

With a run of four highly winnable games (on paper at least) ahead of them, Villa could start to exert some serious pressure not just on Arsenal but also on Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. Away trips to Sunderland, Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers along with a home game against Wigan Athletic make up the Villans' next four fixtures, and those games could see Martin O'Neill's side improve their form further.

Skipper Gareth Barry thinks that their chances are good.

"We are in the Champions League places and have a good chance of staying up there," he told The Birmingham Evening Mail today.

"We have played everyone now, we know we can beat anyone on our day and get a result anywhere. We have got to aim high.There is no point denying it. We are in form with our run of results and going into games confident of winning. With the type of players we have, I think we can achieve it.

"I’m not saying it is not going to happen again because this club is going forward all the time and if it doesn’t happen this year, there will be another chance.

"But we are right in the mix now and this could be the year."

The squad's high hopes will have to be tempered by realism, Barry asserts, and a strong mentality will be important as Villa do not have a great deal of collective expereince of winnning meaningful honours.

"We have got to be realistic about it. There are players in the dressing room who haven’t been in this situation before, including myself,” he said. "That fourth spot is going to be the aim. It is going to be hard to achieve that and anything else is going to be a big bonus," Barry added.

"The majority of players haven’t been in a run-in where the pressure is going to be getting to players and there is going to be a lot at stake.

"You are going to need strong players and a strong mentality. The manager is going to have to get all the players right. I think we are getting that.

"If you are winning games, there is a strong mentality there. We are not always playing well, with the good attacking football we can play, but the results are there and that is down to a strong mentality.

"It comes from achieving things and winning games and the confidence.You always go out there and try and win but the belief is there more, no matter where we are playing.

"If we have got a tough away fixture, we still think we can grind results out – and that is a good sign."

As for the talk of the midfielder requiring surgery very soon on a niggling hernia problem, Barry played down fears.

"It is a slight niggle really. We had scans to see if it was a hernia and whether I would need an operation but they were all clear," he explained.

"I felt it very strongly against Hull but it has been there all season really. Against Albion it felt fine again so we will judge it day by day and game by game. No operation is imminent."

Zack Wilson, Goal.com