Birmingham Mail: PATRIK Berger was today repremanded by Villa boss Martin O'Neill over weekend comments to the media which urged Gareth Barry to sign for Liverpool. It means that the soon-to-be out of contract midfielder has played his last game for Villa as he will not be considered for selection against West Ham - despite apologising for the remarks. O'Neill was unhappy as the Czech midfielder was widely quoted yesterday telling Barry not to pass up on the opportunity of a move to Anfield.

Birmingham Mail: VILLA legend Gordon Cowans believes Martin O'Neill's summer spend could yet tempt Gareth Barry to stay at the club. Barry is believed to be close to a move to Liverpool that would see Peter Crouch come the other way but Cowans, a youth coach at Villa, is not so sure. He said: "There should not be any reason why Gareth should move because we are a big club. "I have said it for years now that Gareth Barry needs to be playing with players on his level. Hopefully we can bring some players into this football club to keep Gareth with us who are on the level Gareth is. "That is the only way we will move onwards and upwards. "This is Gareth's best season. He was outstanding last season, but this season he is head and shoulders above the rest. "He was absolutely outstanding against Blues, a class above everybody on the pitch. "We have a chairman with a lot of money and a manager who is up there with the very best there is, in my opnion. If that cannot attract players to the club, I don't know what can. "And if we can qualify for Europe I'm sure Gareth will stay."

Birmingham Mail: MARTIN O'Neill has told his Villa team they must continue to believe they can over-reach themselves as they bid to beat Everton to the final UEFA Cup place. And he has urged them to take a leaf out of his Nottingham Forest team, who were promoted from the old Second Division in 1977 and then won the First Division title just 12 months later. "If the prize is big enough I think that you can keep overstretching, you should be able to," O'Neill said. "It is in this drive to overstretch that you actually might even find yourself able to play at an even higher level. That is something I know from my own experience at Forest. "When we stepped into the First Division for the first time after promotion you thought 'I wonder how we will cope?' "The manager only made a few changes initially to the side and you thought it might be a concern. "But once we settled down and realised it was not so bad, then we signed a couple of real quality players and all the time we were trying to prove ourselves - every single week, even though results were going good. "So I believe this side should go in exactly the same fashion and overstretch themselves," he said.

Birmingham Mail: MARTIN O'Neill has dismissed any notions that a lack of European football would make it harder for Villa to attract the best players. Villa head into their final game at West Ham with not only their UEFA Cup spot in doubt but also needing a win to make sure Blackburn do not pinch their InterToto Cup spot on the final day. There are fears O'Neill's summer rebuilding would be hit by a lack of big-game football next season but the manager thinks otherwise. "I do not think that will be a major problem. I don't honest-ly," he said. "Even if we did finish sixth and had to go through the InterToto, I don't think that would be a major problem. "I think the football club is big enough to be able to do that and I think that despite Saturday (Villa lost 2-0 at home to Wigan) we are moving in the right direction. But Saturday's defeat was a genuine setback."

Express and Star: Patrik Berger has played his last game for Villa following his comments that captain Gareth Barry should join Liverpool. Boss Martin O'Neill was angry after the former Liverpool midfielder was widely quoted yesterday telling Barry to make the "chance of a lifetime" and go to Anfield. Barry is widely expected to join Liverpool in the summer, although O'Neill is determined to keep him. The Villa boss spoke to Berger earlier today and has now ruled him out of Sunday's finale at West Ham. "I was really disappointed and surprised Patrik, with all his experience of dealing with the press, would make such an inappropriate comment," said O'Neill. "The sad aspect of it is we're paying Patrik's wages for him to recommend one of our players to another football club. It's ludicrous."

Express and Star: Martin O'Neill has challenged his Villa players to keep "over-stretching" themselves in a bid to reach Europe. Villa go into their final League game at West Ham this Sunday needing a victory and hoping Everton lose at home to Newcastle to claim the only UEFA Cup place. The Intertoto Cup is Villa's more likely route to Europe, which would leave O'Neill's side one two-legged tie away from the third qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. But boss O'Neill wants his side to emulate his own Nottingham Forest playing days and keep striving for the bigger prize. "If the prize is big enough and you can keep over-stretching, you should do," he said. "It's within this drive to over-stretch you actually might even find yourself able to play at an even higher level." Express and Star: Martin O'Neill insists Villa won't have a problem attracting the top players this summer - even if they miss out on the UEFA Cup. Villa go into their final 'must-win' game at West Ham against a backdrop of uncertainty with captain Gareth Barry expected to join Liverpool. Villa need Everton to lose at home to Newcastle to claim the UEFA Cup spot knowing they will go into the Intertoto Cup otherwise. But boss O'Neill wants major investment on new signings this summer and believes he will still be able to lure top talent to Villa Park even if the club can offer offer Intertoto Cup football. "I don't honestly think that (attracting the best players) will be a major problem," said O'Neill. "Even if we did finish sixth and had to go through the InterToto, I don't think that would be a major problem."

Sporting Life: Midfielder Stiliyan Petrov has insisted Aston Villa will not throw in the towel in their bid for European qualification. Martin O'Neill's side need to win at West Ham on Sunday and hope fifth placed Everton lose at home to Newcastle. That scenario would enable Villa to move above the Toffees on goal difference and gain automatic qualification for the UEFA Cup for the first time in nearly a decade. Petrov, who helped Celtic reach the 2003 final, is keen for another crack at European football. The Bulgarian international said: "We want to play in Europe and we want to finish the job. "Of course, we've made our job harder by losing at home to Wigan at the weekend. That was our chance to put real pressure on Everton. "But it is still not impossible. We'll go to West Ham trying to win and hopefully the result will go our way in the other game at Everton. "It was disappointing to lose after the run we've had, and now things are out of our own hands, but it is important to bounce back straight away."

Sky Sports: Stilian Petrov remains hopeful that Aston Villa can claim a Uefa Cup spot on the final day of the season. The Midlands outfit need to beat West Ham on Sunday and hope fifth placed Everton lose at home to Newcastle. Villa would move above Everton should this scenario ensue and Petrov can see no reason why his side cannot steal in at the last and qualify for Europe. Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Wigan was a hammer blow to Villa's bid for Europe and Petrov concedes it was a disappointed home dressing come the final whistle.