Martin O’Neill has renewed his vow to improve the quality of Villa’s squad this summer as they look to bounce back from their Middlesbrough setback tomorrow.

Villa go to fellow UEFA Cup hopefuls Portsmouth anxious to make up lost ground following their woeful draw against Boro, when they produced one of their worst showings of the season.

The club are seven points adrift of the crucial fifth spot in the scramble for Europe.

And they will be down to just two fit central defenders in Zat Knight and Martin Laursen when Olof Mellberg joins Juventus and with Curtis Davies out until October with a ruptured Achilles.

O’Neill said: “Whether we make European football or not, we want to improve the squad.

“The players have done remarkably well, considering most players want to play every single week. That’s been proved.

“Look at Everton. Three years ago they wouldn’t have been able to cope with the demands of European football – even the year they got into the Champions League.

“They’ve improved the quality and the quantity of the squad. And the other Thursday night at Fiorentina, Andrew Johnson wasn’t even in the starting line-up which would have been unheard of 18 months ago.

“So there’s something in it for us and regardless of whether we qualify for Europe, we’re definitely looking to improve the quality of the squad.”