Telegraph: What has distinguished Villa's season is their flood of goals scored, more than anyone bar Manchester United, and O'Neill has fashioned a team that is bold if not yet beautiful. Whether he can hold on to Barry remains to be seen. The resourceful midfielder stamped his value yesterday when giving Villa a 2-1 lead 13 minutes into the second half, and on present evidence O'Neill should be able to convince him that Villa do indeed have Champions League potential. It would be nice to see such a leading player giving the kind of loyalty to his club which, for example, Ryan Giggs has devoted to Old Trafford.

Telegraph: Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner will meet Gareth Barry in an attempt to persuade the England midfielder not to join Liverpool. Villa manager Martin O'Neill has been at loggerheads with Rafael Benitez over their interest in Barry, who has been linked with a £10 million summer move to Anfield and O'Neill is refusing to give up Barry without a fight after watching his club captain fire Villa's second goal. He said: "We want to do our utmost to keep Gareth because he's so important to us. It's interesting and ironic that apparently there was an offer from an Italian club for Steven Gerrard yet Liverpool were quick to remind everyone that he is under contract. Gareth has two years left on his contract and we want him to stay. The chairman will talk to him to show how much we value him."

Independent: As it turned out, Everton's victory yesterday ensured Villa could not claim automatic Uefa Cup qualification, and Tottenham's defeat meant West Ham would finish in the top half of the Premier League table whatever. But two sides who were surely aware of the relevant results before they left the pitch nevertheless produced the kind of open, eventful match for which Upton Park has become celebrated over the years. Villa will now start next season a week early as they make a final effort to earn a Uefa Cup place through the Intertoto Cup, although whether they will do so with their captain Gareth Barry - whose 57th-minute goal appeared to be bringing his side a final yield of three more points until Dean Ashton's thunderous equaliser two minutes from time - remains to be seen.

Times: Aston Villa must resort to the Intertoto Cup, but Olof Mellberg is guaranteed to be in Europe next season with Juventus after seven years at Villa Park. As a farewell gesture he arranged for shirts emblazoned with "thanks for your support" to be given to each of the 3,200 visiting team's fans at Upton Park yesterday. Greater ambiguity surrounds the future of Gareth Barry, a Liverpool target. If this was Barry's last game for Villa, he also provided a leaving present, a second-half goal. "We want to do our utmost to keep him," Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager, said. "We will try and guarantee him Champions League football - in the next 23 years." That was a reference to how tough it is to break into the top four. Villa finished sixth, while West Ham, consistently average despite their chronic injury list, ended in tenth. "When we come back I'll have the competition for places to make us better," Alan Curbishley, the manager, said. Last season's stressful climax was replaced by carefree, end-of-term insouciance. West Ham took the lead in the eighth minute through Nolberto Solano's fine free kick but the advantage lasted only six minutes before Ashley Young rolled in a lazy, low shot. After Barry's goal, Villa led until two minutes from time when Dean Ashton swivelled to lash a shot past Scott Carson.

Times: Aston Villa (4-3-3): S Carson 7 - O Mellberg 7, M Laursen 6, Z Knight 6, W Bouma 6 - N Reo-Coker 7, S Petrov 6, G Barry 7 - G Agbonlahor 7, J Carew 7 (sub: M Harewood, 87), A Young 7. Substitutes not used: S Taylor, M Salifou, W Routledge, S Maloney. Booked: Mellberg, Petrov.

Times: Aston Villa Season's summary: Feelgood factor created by welter of goals and huge attendances. How to improve: Replace Olof Mellberg, the defender, effectively. Player of season: Ashley Young.

Sun: IT is hardly an incentive for Gareth Barry to stay at Villa ? the prospect of travelling to far-flung corners of Europe in the Intertoto Cup. Martin O'Neill's team were pipped to a UEFA Cup place by Everton as they finished sixth in the Premier League. Villa could have swapped places with the Merseysiders if they had won and Everton lost. Barry tried his hardest with a 57th-minute goal to put his side 2-1 up. But Toffees' win means Villa go into the Intertoto ? although it remains to be seen if their skipper will go with them. Liverpool have tabled what O'Neill deems a derisory £10million offer. The Villa boss said: "It's ironic there was an Italian offer for Steven Gerrard and Liverpool reminded them he is under contract. Gareth Barry has two years left on his contract. "I can't understand why Gareth would want to leave. He's only 27 and has made it into the England side. "Maybe we can try and guarantee him Champions League football in the next 23 years!"

Daily Mail: European football, albeit in the knockabout summer fun form of the InterToto Cup, was celebrated by the claret and blue army at Upton Park. On the other three sides of the ground, the West Ham fans simply enjoyed a day in the sun as an otherwise nondescript season came to an entertaining end. In spite of the scoreline, the difference between an upwardly mobile Villa side and a more pedestrian home team was all too apparent. Of course, Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been able to field a settled side while West Ham counterpart Alan Curbishley has too often been forced by injuries to adopt a policy of whoever-wants-a-game-gets-a-game but it was the chasm in the brands of football on display that struck home. O'Neill's ability to develop his team further into contenders for a Champions League place depends on his silver tongue. Persuading Gareth Barry to ignore the overtures of Liverpool and stay in his role of captain and fulcrum of this Villa team is essential. Barry gives Villa their heartbeat. His assurance and calm distribution give the likes of Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor their heads. He was magnificent again yesterday. A majestic display was crowned by his 58th-minute goal. Surging at a retreating home defence, he slipped the ball in front of Nigel Reo-Coker ? mercilessly booed throughout on his return to east London ? and continued his run to steer in the rebound after Robert Green had parried Reo-Coker's shot. Judging by the surge of emotion that drove Barry into a manic celebration with the Villa fans there is a bond on which O'Neill can focus during discussions.

Guardian: This match may not have mattered in the great scheme of things but it encapsulated a season in which both clubs can be proud of their efforts. Villa's settled team were faster in thought, as well as in deed, and should have won but the much changed Hammers stuck with them and just about deserved a point. The lessons for both managers were clear and in their different ways Martin O'Neill and Alan Curbishley acknowledged as much. For O'Neill the next few weeks - days, perhaps - will be almost as much about keeping Gareth Barry as about making new signings, though some strengthening is clearly required if Villa are to challenge for European football. "We obviously want to do our utmost to keep him, he has two years left on his contract and both myself and the chairman will be talking to him to confirm how much we value him and want him to stay at the club," said O'Neill who confirmed that Villa will definitely enter the Intertoto Cup. "If we can keep our best players, and add to them, then who knows whether we can get close to the big four. The fact it's very hard shouldn't stop you trying."

Guardian: Man of the match Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)

Sky Sports: Aston Villa have missed out on fifth spot after being held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham at Upton Park. A Villa win and Everton loss could have seen Martin O'Neill's side snatch fifth spot and Uefa Cup football next season, but it was not to be as Dean Ashton's late equaliser snatched a share of the spoils. Things started well for the home side with Nolberto Solano's pin-point free-kick giving Alan Curbishley's side a deserved lead with just seven minutes on the clock. However, the visitors were back on level terms shortly after with Ashley Young's cool side-footed finish from Nigel Reo-Coker's through-ball squaring the contest. Gareth Barry's close-range finish put Villa in front for the first time after half-time, but Ashton's superb late equaliser rescued a deserved share of the spoils.

BBC: Aston Villa have missed out on fifth spot after being held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham at Upton Park. A Villa win and Everton loss could have seen Martin O'Neill's side snatch fifth spot and Uefa Cup football next season, but it was not to be as Dean Ashton's late equaliser snatched a share of the spoils. Things started well for the home side with Nolberto Solano's pin-point free-kick giving Alan Curbishley's side a deserved lead with just seven minutes on the clock. However, the visitors were back on level terms shortly after with Ashley Young's cool side-footed finish from Nigel Reo-Coker's through-ball squaring the contest. Gareth Barry's close-range finish put Villa in front for the first time after half-time, but Ashton's superb late equaliser rescued a deserved share of the spoils. #

Sporting Life: Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has warned Liverpool he has not conceded defeat in his battle to keep Gareth Barry. Barry is reported to be keen on a £10million move to Anfield after Reds boss Rafael Benitez made his interest in the England midfielder known. But Villa are ready to pull out all the stops to persuade Barry his future remains in the midlands with club owner Randy Lerner set to play a role. O'Neill said: "We want to do our utmost to keep Gareth because he's so important to us and is back to his brilliant best. "It's interesting and ironic that apparently there was an offer from an Italian club for Steven Gerrard, yet Liverpool were quick to remind everyone that he is under contract. "Gareth has two years left on his contract and we want him to stay. The chairman will talk to him to show how much we value him. "I can't understand why Gareth would want to leave. He's only 27 and has been brilliant for us."

Fox Sports (Aus): ASTON Villa missed out on a place in the UEFA Cup after being held to a 2-2 draw against West Ham United. Martin O'Neill's side needed a victory at Upton Park and an Everton defeat against Newcastle to snatch fifth place, but the Toffees won on Merseyside to leave Villa in sixth spot. Villa had fallen behind early on to Nolberto Solano's goal before going in front through Ashley Young and Gareth Barry's strikes. But their frustration at Dean Ashton's late equaliser was at least tempered by the knowledge that they wouldn't have been able to overhaul Everton anyway.

Coverage From Abroad

Villa's profile is growing across the globe, so if you're an overseas supporter and you find media coverage you would like to share with the Claret and Blue Army, click here to send us the link and we'll try to include it in Media Watch.