David O'Leary was so upset after seeing his Aston Villa side give away an injury-time equaliser to Manchester City last night that he ducked out of the customary post-match press conference.

But the mood in the Villa Park dressing room among his players ahead of next month's FA Cup fifth round replay is thankfully a bit more positive.

It could easily be considered a psychological blow having to return to Eastlands, scene of this season's most embarrassing league defeat when Villa were beaten 3-1 last October.

Villa will have to return to the City ground on March 8 or a week later if the game is booked for live TV. Regardless of the day of the fixture the Villa players are looking forward to it.

Olof Mellberg, the Villa captain, was quick to point out after last night's match, that his side have not lost in seven Premiership away outings since that defeat to City.

And, although the three away wins they have clocked up have all been against relegation contenders - Sunder-land, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough - Villa will go to Eastlands still full of confidence.

"We've actually done better away from home," said Mell-berg. "If we can keep building on that, then we'll have a chance up there, even though we know they are still really strong at home.

"It is our home form that has let down our season, but the manager tries to get us to play the same home and away. It's the way our opponents play that is different.

"When they are at home, they attack us a bit more home and that gives us more space in behind."

The memory of that defeat to City - and Darius Vassell's two goals - still haunts Villa. But Gareth Barry sees it as a chance to avenge that Halloween horror.

"We just have to see it as the chance to go and put right one of the most disappointing performances of the season," said Vassell's former Villa team-mate.

"Darius has performed for them again. Like we found up there, his blood was pumping again. Looking at the whole game they deserved to win, as they created a lot in the first half and, all the way through at set pieces, our marking was sloppy.

"Having said that, we're devastated not to have gone through outright. Whether it's a defeat or a draw it's a sickener to concede from the last kick of the game.

"But, although we know it's going to be tough and people will say our opportunity has gone we'll go up there knowing we've still got a chance to go through.

"We know their home form's good but our away form's not bad, and we'll be going to go up there thinking we can win. Especially now we've got everyone back from injury."

Assistant manager Roy Aitken was also able to put on a brave face on what felt like a defeat.

"We're still in the hat. We're looking forward to the replay as our away form's better.

"The manager's very frustrated. That's why I'm here. But we're disappointed, frustrated and angry because we had the game in the bag. We've got to be more ruthless playing teams like City.

"When we scored, we looked the more likely to go on and score again."