Villa star: I'll make Sunderland pay
Aston Villa star Patrik Berger is fired up to make Sunderland pay – after successive defeats.
Villa were threatening to challenge for a top-four spot in the Premier League until Martin O'Neill's men succumbed to home defeats to Arsenal and Portsmouth in the last two weeks.
Top sport stories...
- Etuhu arrested after nightclub brawl.
- Gordon hurt by Keane axe.
- Liverpool and Blackburn matches switched.
- Sunderland linked with triple swoop.
- Latest Premier League video highlights.
Now the Midlanders will attempt to get their European challenge back on track by securing a fourth straight away Premier League win against Roy Keane's Sunderland on Saturday.
Berger, 34, said: "You will have good games and bad games. We had the fantastic run away from home and then two defeats at Villa Park. That's football.
"Confidence is still high because we know we can win away from home. We have proved that this season.
"We need to bounce back. If we want to stay where we are – in and among the European positions – we need to beat the likes of Sunderland. We'll be looking to collect three points."
Berger had many fiery scraps with Sunderland boss Keane when the Czech was at Liverpool in the late 1990s and early years of this century.
And he is relishing this weekend's reunion, even if Keane won't actually be on the park. Berger told Villa's official website: "Roy Keane has a winning mentality and that's a great trait. He is a football legend.
"I read an article sometime ago saying he was virtually a coach in the latter stages of his playing career at Manchester United because he was the main man in the team and so influential. Sunderland are very lucky to have him and I think he'll do well there.
"The Stadium of Light is a fantastic venue. I'm sure the atmosphere will be great as usual. Sunderland play the kind of football where they can lose to anyone but also they can beat anyone.
"It will be a tough game but I feel we have the quality to win."
Villa won 3-1 on their last visit to the Stadium of Light in 2005/06 – their first league victory on Wearside since 1991.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Kieran Richardson says there is plenty more to come from James McClean
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
