Curtis Davies is demanding that Aston Villa show a ruthless streak against the Premier League's lesser lights.
Centre-back calls on team-mates to show no mercy
Curtis Davies has urged Aston Villa to show a ruthless streak against the Premier League's lesser lights if they want to achieve their UEFA Champions League ambition.
Villa's qualities against one of their European rivals were again on show in Sunday's dramatic 3-2 win over Everton at Goodison Park, thanks to Ashley Young's last-gasp goal.
The weekend result adds to an already impressive tally against the top teams in the league, after an away win over Arsenal and home draws with Manchester United and Liverpool.
But Martin O'Neil's side will go into Saturday's home match against mid-table Bolton wary of the fact they have also been beaten at Stoke and Newcastle, at home to Middlesbrough and held to a draw when Fulham visited.
Frustration
"It is a bit annoying that we have seemed to let ourselves down against so called middle-table or lower-table teams," Davies said
"That is frustrating - because if we had got points from games we would have expected to get points from, then we would have been right up there.
"It is no use getting the results against the big teams and then not getting the results you should get against other teams - with all due respect to those teams.
"I think people expected us to walk our last home game against Fulham, and there was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room afterwards.
"But we are still a confident team and we have got a good run of games coming up. If we can get a few good results, we will still be up there and - we hope - still knocking on the door of that top four."
Weapons
Davies feels Villa's away form could be crucial in their Champions League quest with the pace of the likes of Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor at the Midlands club's disposal.
"I think we are better suited to playing away because, when the opposition are at home, they can't really sit back and be happy with a draw," the central defender added.
"Playing away, it is a bit easier - and we have got players like Ash and Gabby who can really cause problems."
