Manager Martin O'Neill was delighted with Aston Villa's rejuvenated form as they extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a 0-0 draw against Portsmouth.

But he insisted he had no plans to follow Portsmouth in the chase for European action next season.

While Harry Redknapp's seventh-placed side are still pursuing a possible UEFA Cup dream, the Northern Irishman insisted Villa would not be taking the InterToto Cup route this time around.

He said: "We are not down for that this time. I just felt that we should maybe get ourselves together for the start of next season and see where we go from there.

"The way the matches fall, it is no bad thing and I just feel we would be better to concentrate on our pre-season."

O'Neill admitted he had enjoyed having what he described as the toughest team selection of his career at Villa so far for the clash with Pompey.

With Craig Gardner in form and Patrik Berger and John Carew back from injury, he had to juggle his midfield and front pairing.

Shaun Maloney was the first casualty, dropping to the substitutes bench, while Gavin McCann never made it into the squad at all after returning from suspension.

O'Neill said: "It was the toughest team selection I have had to make for a long, long time - whether I should stick with the team who did so well up at Middlesbrough last week or bring back Berger and Carew.

"It certainly bodes well for me that I can now make those choices, though there was some disappointment for the players left out.'

The manager was delighted that those he showed faith in did not let him down. "I thought young Gardner did really, really well," he said.

"He has a fantastic attitude and in the dressing room at half-time, he was being really quite hard on himself that his effort had been saved and that he had not scored.

"I am convinced he will go on and on and continue to improve. I also felt Stiliyan Petrov was terrific; his confidence is back and the crowd are back behind him."

Gardner, who scored his debut Villa goal last week at Middlesbrough to earn a place in the starting line-up, agreed. He said: "My confidence is growing week on week and I was disappointed not to beat David James - he is a fantastic keeper.

"I was a youth at Villa when he played here and it would have been nice to put one past him. I don't feel any pressure I just go out, get up and down the pitch and hope I will get the chance to start again next week.

"It would be great to play a part in helping Villa finish the season with seven or eight games unbeaten."

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