Martin O’Neill believes his young Villa team are learning a harsh yet valuable lesson in what it takes to survive “at the very top.”

The claret and blues were thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool on Sunday and have taken just one point from their last five Premier League games.

It leave their Champions League challenge in danger of collapse, O’Neill’s fifth-placed team have seen a six-point advantage over Arsenal become a three-point lead for the Gunners in just three weeks.

Now Villa face a daunting trip to leaders Manchester United a week on Sunday.

But the Villa boss reckons the recent rut will provide a valuable learning curve for his team in the long term.

He said: “It’s been a tough time for all of us and we’ve accepted that. They have to experience this.

“This is what it’s about if you’re going to play at the very top. If you want to be there not just for one week but on a regular basis, then this is what it takes.

“At Liverpool and other matches we’ve played I think the players can learn from the way other teams play. You’ve got to go and compete, you’ve got to be there.

“One week in four or five isn’t enough, you’ve got to be there week in, week out, match in, match out. That’s what the big teams do.”

O’Neill remains confident his team will bounce back from their Spring slump – insisting all they need is a victory to kickstart their campaign again.

He said: “We have an exceptionally tough game when we come back from the international break (against United). Then we’ve got Everton and West Ham.

“We’re in a lull, no question – the players are more than a little down in terms of confidence. That’s something, as I’ve said before, that can be a bit brittle. It can go from game to game – almost minute to minute.

“But I’m sure the players must take something out of these last few games, that this is where you have to go if you’re going to win matches and turn it around.

“It’s up to us now to try and come out of this, the only way to do it is winning a game.”