Daily Express: Martin O'Neill is having talks with Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner to form a wage structure that will help keep Gareth Barry at the club. O'Neill will fight for his captain to stay and planned to offer him a new four year deal before Chelsea and Liverpool's interest becomes public. Along with a doubling of Barry's wages to about £85,000 a week, O'Neill has to convince the player he will build a team capable of winning trophies next season.

Daily Star: Martin O'Neill will ask Randy Lerner to smash the Aston Villa pay structure to stop Gareth Barry leaving at the end of the season. Villa manager O'Neill will do all he can to persuade the American billionaire owner to make Barry the highest paid player in the club's history on around £60,000 a week and keep him out of the hands of Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez.

Independent: Stiliyan Petrov admits Villa will have to 'be at their best' when they travel to Everton on Sunday if they are to maintain their recent form and gain a European place. "We have been doing well, but Everton are a quality team," he said. "They are playing for Europe and so are we - it should be a good game."

Times: The match away to Everton on Sunday is "definitely one of the biggest games of the season" according to Stiliyan Petrov. "I'm looking forward to very single game. It is the same with the other players," he said.

Birmingham Post: Aston Villa goalkeeper Scott Carson says he is prepared for a hostile reception when he turns up at Everton on Sunday because he is still officially a Liverpool player. The 23-year-old is used to a bit of banter whenever he turns out against the Reds' great cross-city adversaries, but he says he won't mind a bit, as long as Villa get the result they crave.