Mirror: Martin O'neill last night launched an astonishing attack on Rafa Benitez - accusing the Anfield boss of lying about his approach for Gareth Barry. Aston Villa manager O'Neill was already livid with Liverpool for launching a £10million bid for England midfielder Barry last week. But Benitez's claims in yesterday's Mirror Sport that Liverpool have been in regular contact with Villa about Barry and expect to sign him this summer has infuriated O'Neill. "What Rafa Benitez said is simply not true," insisted O'Neill, who this week axed Villa's ex-Liverpool star Patrik Berger for encouraging Barry to move to Anfield. "It is incredible and maybe he is trying to make a fool of us - I couldn't have been more angry this morning. "Our fans are very anxious for us to keep Gareth Barry and they would be more than disappointed to find out that we may have been in constant discussion with Liverpool which is not true."

Guardian: Martin O'Neill last night launched a stinging attack on Rafael Benítez, accusing the Liverpool manager of being "disingenuous" and "not respecting anything" after the Spaniard intimated that talks about Gareth Barry's future were continuing. Having reacted with disbelief when he learned that Liverpool's £10m offer for Barry had been leaked on Merseyside last week, O'Neill was furious yesterday when he read that Benítez had told reporters that the Villa manager "knew my idea". O'Neill said he had never given Benítez any encouragement regarding Barry and revealed: "It's a long time since I've been this angry." His resolve to keep the England international is likely to have been strengthened by the simmering row. "Rafa Benítez is quoted as saying he knew my idea and I knew his," O'Neill said. "The only idea I had was to get him off the phone and to say no. He spoke to me about Gareth Barry and I told him I was not interested in selling but I would put it to my owner [Randy Lerner] who deserved to be told about these things."

Express: MARTIN O'Neill has slammed Rafael Benitez and claims he is trying to make fools of Aston Villa and covering his tracks after Liverpool's bid for Gareth Barry was leaked. Benitez said O'Neill had been kept fully informed, but the Villa boss denies that and launched a scathing attack on his Liverpool counterpart. O'Neill said he has only had two phone conversations with Benitez, the second of which was after the £10million offer had been leaked to a Liverpool newspaper. "I have never denied we had a conversation, but we have not had prolonged discussions," said O'Neill, who is furious at the way Benitez is unsettling Barry and says he is showing Villa no respect. "Benitez is quoted as saying, 'He knew my idea and I knew his'. What idea did I have? I didn't have an idea apart from saying 'Gareth Barry is not for sale'. "Benitez spoke to me about Barry, about being interested. I told him I would put this to my owner [Randy Lerner] who I think deserves to be told about any of these things."

Times: Martin O'Neill's feud with Liverpool went into overdrive yesterday when the Aston Villa manager accused Rafael Benítez of lying over allegations that he has been engaged in prolonged conversations with his Anfield counterpart about the future of Gareth Barry. The Liverpool manager has reportedly claimed that he has been negotiating with O'Neill for three weeks over the proposed acquisition of the England midfield player. The Villa manager responded with fury yesterday, insisting that he had told Benítez that he did not wish to sell Barry when he received the first of two phone calls that he has taken from the Spaniard on the matter. Barry, 27, has two years remaining on his contract but is eager to play in the Champions League while he is at his peak. He has stated that he will deliberate whether to stay on at Villa Park after the season ends. O'Neill was angered last week by news of Liverpool's faxed £10million bid leaking out, but this exacerbated antagonism with Anfield will only make O'Neill dig his heels in. Should Barry's inclination persuade Villa to sell, Chelsea and Arsenal may be alerted by the furore. O'Neill accused Benítez of showing no respect to anyone. "The prolonged conversation over three weeks is not prolonged," O'Neill said. "It's just not true. It's disingenuous to say we've had prolonged conversations - and he knows that. Rafa said something about waiting until the end of the season because he wanted to respect our view. Rafa doesn't respect anything, in my view."

Sun: ALAN CURBISHLEY will get a break from West Ham's boo-boys as they prepare to 'welcome back' Nigel Reo-Coker instead. Hammers boss Curbishley has been targeted by sections of supporters who are unhappy with his style of football. Reo-Coker was singled out for blame when West Ham struggled last year before he quit for Aston Villa in an £8.5million move. Curbs said: "When I came here there was a lot of flak flying about and Nigel was being singled out. "I told him the only thing he could do was get on with it. Then he left to join Villa. "The fans clapped Roy Carroll and Tyrone Mears when they came back to the club with Derby. But some people don't get a good reaction. "We will have to wait and see what happens with Nigel but I can't influence it either way. He will have to take it on the chin."

Sun: Villa chief Martin O'Neill is fuming at claims by Rafa Benitez that Gareth Barry has been on the transfer agenda for three weeks. O'Neill insists he told the Liverpool boss Barry was not for sale when they spoke last month. And the Irishman was annoyed when Liverpool leaked news of a bid. Now Benitez has suggested he has been in constant dialogue with Villa about their England midfielder. But O'Neill blasted: "It's a long time since I've been this angry. "I never denied I had a conversation with him and to say I've been exposed suggests some kind of fraudulent behaviour. "All this about a prolonged conversation is simply untrue. "He is quoted as saying he knew my idea and I knew his. He spoke to me as I was going to a reserve game and the only idea I had was to get him off the phone and to say 'No'."

Sun: JENS LEHMANN is a shock target for Aston Villa. Scott Carson's loan from Liverpool is due to end and Villa could pounce for keeper Lehmann, 37, after his release by Arsenal.

Telegraph: Martin O'Neill has dismissed as "absolutely crazy" Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez's latest remarks in an escalating row over Gareth Barry. Aston Villa manager O'Neill reacted angrily last week when news of Liverpool's £10 million bid for the England midfielder was made public. Benitez yesterday claimed he was surprised by O'Neill's indignation because the pair had discussed the "idea" of a Barry transfer - which could include a player exchange - "20 days ago". O'Neill today responded by saying: "What idea did I have? I've got absolutely no idea! I have no idea what he's talking about. It's absolutely crazy. "It suggests this is a conversation that I wanted to keep going, to keep on the boiling pot. Absolutely not. It's a complete nonsense."

Daily Mail: Martin O'Neill has hit out again at Rafael Benitez over the Gareth Barry transfer saga as the relationship between the two Barclays Premier League managers crumbled amid a flurry of accusations. Aston Villa's boss charged the Spaniard with being insincere and failing to understand the concept of respect as a war of words intensified. O'Neill was already upset last week after the news broke in Liverpool of the Anfield club's player-plus- cash offer for the England midfielder but yesterday he found it difficult to contain his emotions. 'Apparently I spoke to Rafa 20 days ago,' said O'Neill. 'Inever denied that conversation ? actually, I pleaded the Fifth Amendment ? but we have had no prolonged conversation since. 'Benitez is quoted after that as saying he knew my idea and I knew his. What idea was that? The only idea I had was to get him off the phone and say "No". He spoke to me about Gareth Barry and I told him I was not interested in selling but I would put it to my owner who deserved to be told about these things. But I said to him I would assume Randy's (Lerner) viewpoint would be concurring with my own. That was the case. 'The next time I spoke to Rafa was last Friday when he rang me to ask if I'd seen his faxed offer. I told him I had seen it. It was only after I put the phone down that I realised the story had broken in Liverpool. 'He was on the phone to cover his backside. I phoned back immediately to say I was amazed to find out the story had appeared in the local paper. 'So, all this about a prolonged conversation with him about Gareth is simply untrue. It's disingenuous of him and he knows that."

Sporting Life: Aston Villa winger Ashley Young, who was recently nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association's Young Player of the Year award, has been named player of the month. The 22-year-old scored in a 6-0 rout of Derby and added two more in a 5-1 thrashing of rivals Birmingham.

BBC: Aston Villa winger Ashley Young, who was recently nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association's Young Player of the Year award, has been named player of the month. The 22-year-old scored in a 6-0 rout of Derby and added two more in a 5-1 thrashing of rivals Birmingham.

Soccerway.com (USA): Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has accused Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez of "disingenuous" behaviour in his courting of Villa's England midfielder Gareth Barry. O'Neill believes Benitez has deliberately exaggerated the extent of discussions between the two clubs, which he says have been limited to two phone calls, the second of which was "to cover his own backside" after the bid for Barry was leaked to the local press in Liverpool. "I have never denied we had a conversation - but we have not had prolonged discussions," an indignant O'Neill said Friday. "Benitez is quoted as saying 'he knew my idea and I knew his'. What idea did I have? I didn't have an idea apart from saying 'Gareth Barry is not for sale'." O'Neill added: "Is Benitez playing you for a fool? Rafa said something about 'we will wait until the end of the season because he respects our viewpoint'. Rafa doesn't respect anything. That would be my view."

Irish Independent: MARTIN O'Neill's feud with Liverpool went into overdrive yesterday when the Aston Villa manager accused Rafael Benitez of lying over allegations that he has been engaged in prolonged conversations with his Anfield counterpart about the future of Gareth Barry. The Liverpool manager has reportedly claimed that he has been negotiating with O'Neill for three weeks over the proposed acquisition. The Villa manager responded with fury yesterday, insisting that he had told Benitez that he did not wish to sell Barry when he received the first of two phone calls that he has taken from the Spaniard on the matter. Barry (27) has two years remaining on his contract but is eager to play in the Champions League, while he is at his peak. He has stated that he will deliberate on whether to stay on at Villa Park after the season ends. O'Neill was angered last week by news of Liverpool's £10m bid leaking out, but this exacerbated antagonism with Anfield will only make O'Neill dig his heels in. Should Barry's inclination persuade Villa to sell, Chelsea and Arsenal may be alerted by the furore. "The prolonged conversation over three weeks is not prolonged," O'Neill said. "It's just not true. It's disingenuous to say we've had prolonged conversations -- and he knows that. Rafa said something about waiting until the end of the season because he wanted to respect our view. Rafa doesn't respect anything, in my view."