Sunday's match

Without subscribing to the notion that if we don't win tomorrow, that fantastic result against Liverpool will have been pointless, a small part of the brain cannot avoid seeing it that way. So if we don't win on Sunday I'll be a tad disappointed. The way Villa are playing at present, it could be tougher than the recent spate of matches against Liverpool, Arsenal and United. I love what they're doing in the League putting the heat on Arsenal and Chelsea. Nothing would shake up the predictability of the Premier League's closed shop if either miss out on that luxury money from the Champions' League, particularly if City start throwing the cash around for the next 10 seasons, and both Villa and City subsequently become Sky's new BFs.

Villa are built like every other Martin O'Neill team I can remember. Big and strong up front, big and strong at the back with bags of pace across the park. They keep it simple. You could say they're a long-ball side with a little bit more guile. They don't have a single player as creative as Arteta, but we don't have anyone as quick as Young or Agbonlahor.

Villa have got bigger fish to fry, competing in the League and in the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup. But I can't see O'Neill treating any competition with the snooty disdain that Wenger and Benitez do. O'Neill never won the FA Cup as a player and has stated enough times down the years of his desire to win it.

Let's hope we catch them sleeping. We owe them one.