Martin O’Neill is feeling the heat after his team’s poor performances of late.

O’Neill’s Aston Villa currently lies in 7^th place in the Premier League table, five points behind fourth-placed Manchester City. They are still in the running for the FA Cup, and play their semi-final with Chelsea this Saturday. They were losing finalists in the Carling Cup earlier on this season.

Yet, with good record, the Irishman’s job is seemingly not safe. Results of late have seen the club slip-up in their race for a Champions League place next season, and confidence amongst both the players and fans remains low.

A reported bust-up with American owner Randy Lerner has aggravated the rumours of the Irishman walking out next season.

O’Neill said after his team’s humiliating 7-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea two weeks ago, “I’ll be talking to the chairman at the end of the season to see where we are positioned. People make judgments and calls and I will see if Villa fans are disgruntled with it. I will then see if the chairman-who has a big say in proceedings-agrees with that. Interestingly, I will have a say in proceedings too, because it is my life.”

These statements sent shock waves throughout the country, as they clearly highlighted that the relationship between the manager and the owner is frosty to say the least, although both parties have tried playing this down

Villa was unbeaten in 2010 up until the thrashing at the hands of Chelsea, a run which spanned 10 games. However in those 10 games though, Villa only picked up a miserly 14 out of a possible 30 points, drawing at home to teams like Wolves and Sunderland.

These results have seen frustration grow amongst the fans, who have not been shy to voice there discontent.

Villa is certainly on course to qualify for Europe this season, but a place in the top-four barring a miracle seems highly unlikely.

Rumours of O’Neill’s departure though, have been squashed by the man himself, who has reiterated his continue in the job.

He said, “I have a year-rolling contract and I hope to continue to do a job, the challenges of which I enjoy immensely.”

Fans will do good to remember that when O’Neill first arrived at Villa in 2006 to replace David O’Leary, they were nowhere near the heights where they sit now, having finished in 16^th place in the previous season, only 8 points above the relegation zone.

The Irishman’s reign saw a drastic turn of events at the club, as his team went on to be unbeaten in his first 9 games in charge. Finishing a respectable 11^th place that season. And then in for the last two campaigns, has lifted them to 6^th in the table.

And for this O’Neil should be applauded, as in many people eyes he has done nothing short of a terrific job

There has been a steady rise since his arrival, but perhaps the expectation of steady never-ending improvement is putting the pressure on him.

Villa responded in the best possible way after the Chelsea defeat last week, beating Bolton at the Reebok Stadium to lift a huge weight of O’Neill’s shoulders.

A victory this weekend against Chelsea will certainly do Villa a world of good, and may please Lerner enough to save O’Neill his job.

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