Martin O'Neill has no doubt his Villa side will give Odense's defenders plenty to think about this evening - the big challenge will be to keep it tight at the other end.

Villa scored what could be two priceless away goals in Denmark last weekend but Odense BK twice fought back to cancel out strikes from John Carew and Martin Laursen.

The second goal came in the final minute of an entertaining Intertoto Cup clash and O'Neill is looking for his side to show a ruthless streak as they look to close out games.

He told www.avfc.co.uk: "We looked a threat for most of last season and that was the case over in Denmark, where we scored two away goals. We're definitely a threat.

"What we need to do now is cut down on the goals against. Some of the goals we concede, especially late on, are proof that we've got work to do.

"Sometimes late goals are unavoidable but at the end of it all it shows that in terms of being really ultra professional, we've got work to do.

"Scoring is not a problem. We have to try to reverse things - not by scoring less goals but by attempting to do better defensively."

Striker Marlon Harewood has been ruled out of this evening's match after sustaining a knee injury in the 3-2 friendly win at Walsall.