Martin O'Neill has warned his Aston Villa players to be ready for a
Crystal Palace side "galvanised" by manager Neil Warnock after
going into administration in Sunday's FA Cup fifth round clash at
Selhurst Park.
O'Neill believes Warnock is the ideal person to try to revive
Palace after the deduction of 10 points meant they went from
Championship promotion contenders to relegation candidates
overnight.
But they showed their quality in dispensing of Wolves 3-0 in
the previous round of the cup while league results had also been
healthy until the mid-week setback against Swansea.
O'Neill said: "I saw Palace play Wolves and they deserved to
win the game and played very strongly that night - and it helps
when you get a six minute hat-trick!
"There is a good spirit amongst them and that would come from
the manager. I can't say we know each other really well but I have
a great appreciation of him.
"He has done very well in his career, is a terrific motivator
and, every club he has been at, the players want to play for him.
"He engenders a great spirit wherever he goes and that is a
hallmark of someone who knows what the managerial game is all
about.
"People say he has a habit of getting under people's skin.
That is true, that is also part of his make-up.
"Like a lot of us, he doesn't adhere himself to everyone and
that is the nature of this business.
"Personally speaking, it probably doesn't matter a jot to him
- and quite rightly so."
O'Neill added: "I think there has been a galvanising effect
at Palace from players and supporters (since going into
administration) and the game will be very tough in front of close
to a full house.
"They were right in the promotion race and that deduction of
points can be debilitating and knock your whole season. As it turns
out, they've got plenty to play for again.
"Palace are fighting for their lives. It's a great
opportunity for them, a great opportunity to keep the club going
and they'll be looking forward to it. It's a game that's very much
in balance."
O'Neill is saddened to see Palace's current predicament and
is aware of the potential the club possesses from his days as a
player.
He said: "There seems to be almost a (financial) case per
season and there has been now for about 20 years. Somebody always
seems to find themselves in trouble. This is nothing new.
"But, where it is particularly galling, is for clubs the size
of Crystal Palace.
"Palace have a fantastic catchment area and I've played in
that ground when they were in the big league - the old First
Division.
"There's 40,000 people been at Selhurst Park, so they've got
the wherewithal to be a really big club.
"That Croydon area is a football hotbed and I've thought that
for a long time.
"They are a 'proper' club so it's rather disconcerting that a
club of that size should find themselves in that sort of trouble."
Villa have an extra incentive to make the quarter-finals at
the first attempt as any replay would have to take place in the
week leading up to the Carling Cup final against Manchester United
at Wembley on February 28.
O'Neill said: "In an ideal world it would be great to have a
free week ahead of the final, a full eight days to prepare after
playing Burnley next weekend.
"But we are not in the choice business. The Palace game will
be very difficult and, if the tie goes to a replay, you just have
to get on with it."
Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov and 12-goal leading scorer
Gabriel Agbonlahor are major fitness worries ahead of Sunday's
game.
Petrov and Agbonlahor suffered ankle and leg injuries
respectively during the mid-week home draw with Manchester United
and regarded as "doubtful" by Villa boss Martin O'Neill.
O'Neill has indicated he will again make changes for the
competition and the likes of Brad Guzan, Nathan Delfouneso, Steve
Sidwell, Curtis Davies and Habib Beye could come into the equation
to start.
