Mirror: Martin Laursen says Aston Villa's young stars must prove they are "men not boys" if the club are to rekindle their fading hopes of qualifying for Europe. Villa's England starlets Ashley Young, 22, and Gabriel Agbonlahor, 21, have helped light up the Premier League this term with some scintillating displays. But both were subdued in Villa's 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth which saw Martin O'Neill's side slip to seventh after taking just two points from nine. And inspirational Danish defender Laursen, 30, says Villa must prove their mettle at home to Roy Keane's struggling Sunderland on Saturday. "This is a test for us now," admitted Laursen, aware only a top-five spot will guarantee European football next season. "We have to prove that we are men and not boys. We have to prove we can stand tough when things are not going our way. "When you are winning, everything is easy. When you have a few bad results, you have to show your character and that is what we will do. "We will not give up and we have a great chance now against Sunderland to bounce back. "It's a big challenge as we have to forget about the Portsmouth result and try to learn from our mistakes. "We must think only about Sunderland now."

Sun: SHEFFIELD UNITED striker James Beattie, 30, who has plundered 15 goals this term, is a £5million summer target for Aston Villa.

Independent: Martin Laursen believes the referee Chris Foy made the wrong decision in dismissing fellow defender Olof Mellberg during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth. "It was not right - I don't think what Olof did was enough for a second yellow card." the Dane said of Mellberg's second booking for shirt-pulling.

Times: Martin Laursen believes the referee Chris Foy made the wrong decision in dismissing fellow defender Olof Mellberg during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth. "It was not right - I don't think what Olof did was enough for a second yellow card." the Dane said of Mellberg's second booking for shirt-pulling.

Sky Sports: Martin Laursen has challenged his Aston Villa team-mates to show they are 'men and not boys' in the pursuit of European football. Villa's charge towards a Uefa Cup spot has stuttered in recent games, with a 2-0 defeat at rivals Portsmouth on Saturday stretching the team's winless run to three matches. Struggling Sunderland visit Villa Park at the weekend and Laursen is calling on the players to display their mental toughness. "This is a test for us now," Laursen told the club's official website. "But that's what it's all about. "We have to prove that we are men and not boys. We have to prove we can stand tough when things are not going our way. "When you are winning, everything is easy. When you have a few bad results you have to show your character and that is what we will do. We are not giving up. "We have a great opportunity now against Sunderland at home to bounce back and try to win the game. Sunderland are fighting for every point, but so are we. "This is a great challenge. We have to forget about the Portsmouth result and try to learn from our mistakes. We have to think only about Sunderland now."

BBC: Young Aston Villa defender Stephen O'Halloran has flown to the United States for treatment on his knee ligament injury. The 20-year-old damaged his cruciate ligament warming up for his first game for Leeds during a recent loan spell. He will see renowned specialist Dr Richard Steadman whose previous clients include Michael Owen and O'Halloran's Villa team-mate Martin Laursen. The left-back is set to have surgery and faces several months out of action.

Sporting Life: Defender Martin Laursen has urged his Aston Villa team-mates to "prove we are men and not boys" as they seek to ensure their season does not fizzle out. Villa's chances of qualifying for Europe are now looking slim as they trail fifth-placed Everton by seven points with only eight games to go in the Barclays Premier League. A 2-0 reversal at Portsmouth on Saturday has left Villa with a mountain to climb to secure a UEFA Cup spot. Laursen insists this weekend's home game with Sunderland is a must-win encounter. "This is a test for us now - but that's what it is all about," he said. "We have to prove that we are men and not boys. We have to prove we can stand tough when things are not going our way. "When you are winning, everything is easy. When you have a few bad results you have to show your character - and that is what we will do. We are not giving up. "We have a great opportunity now against Sunderland at home to bounce back and try to win the game. Sunderland are fighting for every point - but so are we. "This is a great challenge. We have to forget about the Portsmouth result and try to learn from our mistakes. We have to think only about Sunderland now. We have to win."

Coverage From Abroad

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