O'Neill wants goals from midfield

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is hoping his midfielders weigh in with more goals to help his side's Champions League push.

Villa currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League, one point behind Tottenham who occupy the last Champions League qualification spot, and O'Neill wants his midfielders to start finding the net on a regular basis to bring success to Villa Park.

He said: "I think if you are going to be successful, you have to have a goal-scoring midfield.

"You would have to be exceptionally lucky to go through a season and not have someone scoring from midfield, and yet still be really successful. We should be sharing goals around more."

Punters who feel Villa have what it takes to break into the top-four and qualify for the Champions League next season may wish to use their free bet to back O'Neill's men.

The Villa boss highlighted the example of Chelsea star Frank Lampard as a player he would like his midfielders to emulate, with the likes of Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker and Steve Sidwell yet to find the net for Villa this season.

He added: "If you are playing with three in the middle of the pitch, and we have done it sometimes, with a lone centre-forward then I think the onus is on the midfield to get into the box, past the centre forward and score.

"I keep telling midfielders they are worth their weight in gold if they can get into double figures. That is why players like Frank Lampard are so brilliant.

"He is one who will get you 20 goals a season, every season."