Martin O’Neill believes Villa’s victory over Arsenal will install a new-found belief in his side – but has demanded they raise the bar even higher against Manchester United.

Villa’s win at the Emirates Stadium has already been hailed as their best since boss O’Neill’s arrival in summer 2006 and the Ulsterman now hopes it will give them a timely confidence boost with Manchester United the visitors to Villa Park on Saturday.

“The result allied to the performance was really terrific,” said O’Neill. “It has certainly given a big boost of confidence to the players. From start to finish the team was electric. The performance was full of energy. It was full of really good football. 

“It is a case of ‘easy words’ but I just think that was a performance for them to believe in. They could go there and be brave and be so strong, and be so attack-minded.”

O’Neill was delighted with the response of his players after defeats to Newcastle and Middlesbrough, but he has urged them to step up another gear against the champions.

Victory would move them above Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, although United are unbeaten in the league against Villa since 1995.

“I thought that was a basic difference, albeit being up some notches from the first-half performance at Newcastle.” added O’Neill.

“They had that belief that they will score a goal, that they will make chances in the game – and a belief in the method in which they were playing which was exhilarating.

“What was very pleasing was that we went there on the back of two disappointing results in games where we should have got something. I thought that the determination from the side was evident from the beginning.

“So what do they do after that? They just have to take it on again. That will be very important to do so.”