John Carew today fired out a warning to Premier League defences that Villa’s dynamic duo Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor will only get better with age.

Villa achieved a one-two in this season’s PFA Young Player of the Year awards with winger Young, 23, edging out partner in crime Agbonlahor, 22.

And fellow frontman Carew believes the future is bright for Villa with the likes of Young, Agbonlahor and James Milner also among their ranks.

“Gabby and Ashley are doing great and they are quite young still,” said Carew.

“They will keep on learning and get better and better each season. They both deserved to be recognised.

“Ashley has had a fantastic season last year and this one he has been even better.

“He’s just been brilliant for the club and so has Gabby. They will only improve and have great futures in the game.

“Gabby has every quality to become a big player, he just needs to continue working and he will get there.

“James Milner has been great as well, he has been one of the most important players for the club this season.”

Villa’s Champions League mission is set to end in failure after a return of just four points from their last nine Premier League games left them 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal with just 12 to play for.

They are now 12 games without a win in all competitions and a place in the Europa League is now almost certainly the best they can hope for. And Carew revealed Villa’s slump has been as frustrating for the players as it has for fans.

“We haven’t won in a while,” added the Norway international.

“We are not a worse team than before but you start to go a game or two without winning and it becomes psychological.

“We haven’t been strong enough lately because we are good enough and we have been playing well. Something has just happened. It happens to so many clubs.

“The fans have been fantastic all season.

“It is not only hard for us but it’s hard for them to see us creating such a big opportunity for ourselves to qualify for the Champions League only to see it slip away.

“It’s frustrating for everyone who has an interest in the club – players, fans, everybody.”