Aston Villa striker John Carew scored the goal that secured European football for a second consecutive season at Villa Park and then assured fans that the team was ‘going in the right direction’.

 

Carew’s 14^th goal of the season ensured that Martin O’Neill’s men will have a place in the newly-formed Europa League for season 2009/10. The 1-0 win against Hull ended a worryingly long winless streak for Villa and with O’Neill having so publicly sacrificed their UEFA Cup run this season for a shot at Champions League football next year, the former Celtic chief must have had a good nights sleep for the first time in a good few weeks.

The 29-year old Norwegian acknowledged that Villa had wasted a golden opportunity to break the strangle hold on the top four places by Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal but looked on the season’s achievements in a positive light.

"The fact we have qualified for Europe is still an achievement in itself. We created the opportunity for ourselves to get into the Champions League. It was not expected that we would be so close and be in contention for so long.”