Villa Boss O'Neill: Spurs 'Have Burning Ambitions To Break Into Top Four'

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is fully aware of the threat Tottenham Hotspur will pose ahead of the Villans away trip to White Hart Lane on Monday.

O’Neill has revealed that despite losing strikers Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov this summer to Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, Spurs manager Juande Ramos has put together a squad at the North London side capable of challenging for a Champions League place this season.

The corresponding fixture last season saw the two teams share 8 goals in a thrilling 4-4 draw, with O’Neill insisting that despite losing their potent strike-force this summer, Spurs have the individual players that ‘can win games on their own’.

“They have lost Robbie Keane, lost Berbatov, two splendid players, but they have replaced them with good players as well,” O’Neill told Setanta Sports News.

“They have some fantastic individual players in their side.

“They have players who can win games on their own, so I think overall irrespective of whatever happens on Monday night, Tottenham’s aspirations will remain pretty high.

“They were almost in the top four a couple of years ago, so they will have burning ambitions to break into the top four.”