Football FanCast columnist Rob Facey wonders if Liverpool's apparent underhand tactics would backfire in their bid to sign Gareth Barry.

As Martin O'Neill strives to convince his team captain to stay, he will receive many fans sympathies after Liverpool's no-holds-barred attempt to sign the England midfielder. Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has already been on the receiving end of O'Neill's wrath after suggesting that the pair had been in dialogue over a possible sale and earlier this week claimed that the Aston Villa star wanted to leave the club.

Football FanCast columnist Rob Facey looks at Martin O'Neill's decision to end Patrik Berger's Villa career after he encouraged Gareth Barry to move to Liverpool, but thinks that the damage may already have been done.

Berger, who moved to Liverpool after Euro 96, is quoted as saying "if I was in Gareth's position, I would go there tomorrow," and has met the wrath of his furious manager. O'Neill has already a huge task on his hands trying to convince his skipper to stay on, and is right not to tolerate his team mates undermining his position.

Football FanCast columnist David Allen looks at the goalkeeping dilemma that is facing Martin O'Neill and wonders if Scott Carson has done enough to secure a permanent contract at the club.

Scott Carson has had a turbulent season to say the least. Having initially impressed when beginning his loan spell at Villa, it was ironically his reward for his fine form which potentially marked the beginning of the end for the Liverpool loan-signing.

Football FanCast columnist Joe Jennings is full of praise of Martin O'Neill and does wonder if the media give him the respect his undoubted ability deserve.

He can stop any side playing in the world - he has an uncanny eye for reading a side's actual ability over their hype (which is why his punditry has proved so excellent). Forget Mourinho or Scolari, the man described is no other than Martin O'Neill.

Steve Sedgley looks at the impact that Martin O'Neill has over a football club and when you take into consideration the work he did at the likes of Leicester City and Celtic, then Aston Villa are in very safe hands.

Martin O'Neill never fails to amaze people with his abilities as a football manager and how he always produces it on a relative shoestring compared to his peers. We have all marvelled in the work he has done at Wycombe, Leicester, Celtic and now of course Aston Villa. What is the secret to the man's success? How does he transform these football clubs? For me Villa is one of the country's elite and on a personal note delighted to see them back challenging at the top end of the table and it's great for football.

Football FanCast columnist Rob Facey, reacts to the news that Martin O'Neill has met up with Randy Lerner to discuss Aston Villa's summer spending and wonders how many players they will need to bring in, to make them a Premier League force.

Martin O'Neill has met with Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner to discuss the clubs summer transfer plans adding that he knows the size of the squad must be bigger, if the club are to turn into a Premier League force.

Football Fancast columnist

Sat on a sticky wooden floor in a pub back-room full of bluenoses singing 'Sh*t on the Villa,' I smugly watched Aston Villa on Albanian TV deservedly thrash blues 5-1.

Football FanCast guest columnist Steve Jackson is delighted to see Aston Villa move a step closer to their rightful place among the Premier League elite.

They say that there are three things you can guarantee from a derby; passion a definite, commitment a guarantee and they are normally a tight drawn out affair. Like Meatloaf once said "two out of three ain't bad" and Aston Villa failed to oblige the third command and laid on the kind of drubbing you dream of in a derby game. A result which leaves them on the brink of a UEFA Cup place why condemning their great rivals, ever closer to the Premier League trapdoor.