Aston Villa manager David O'Leary has instructed his troops to raise their game and think of Europe again.

Having just missed out on a Uefa Cup place when his Villa side finished sixth in his first campaign in charge two years ago, O'Leary was as disappointed as anyone when they slipped back to tenth last term.

That continued a pattern that has seen O'Leary's teams finish in a progressively worse place in the Premiership table ever since he became a manager.

But, following an efficient summer in the transfer market, which might not be over yet if Villa can land Milan Baros, O'Leary claims there is cause for optimism.

"Our sights are once again set on Europe," said O'Leary, in confident mood just days before Saturday's big kick-off at home to Bolton Wanderers. "That is definitely still the target.

"I've got three years left of my contract here and I want to get the club into Europe.

"I want to try and build a club here where eventually, year on year, it is almost taken for granted that we're going to be in Europe.

"What we are aspiring to do is to get into Europe and then keep improving. I think we are improving. We finished in tenth place last season and people ask if that would be acceptable again? Well, no it won't. I want to finish higher than that.

"Yet if we had won three games more last season it would have been so different. That's how close it can be.

"We want to finish in the top six. Anywhere from eighth upwards would be great, but our goal is Europe."