Manager Martin O’Neill has admitted resurgent Villa’s late Champions League surge has made Sunday’s Second-City showdown a must-win.

Last night’s 2-0 victory at Hull, achieved thanks to goals from Gabby Agbonlahor and James Milner, moved Villa back into sixth and within tantalising reach of the Champions League places.

They now trail fourth-placed Tottenham by just three points, albeit having played a game more, while the gap between them and Manchester City stands at a single point.

With their rivals facing tough trips to Manchester United and Arsenal respectively on Saturday, O’Neill reckons Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated battle with Birmingham at Villa Park will take on even more importance than usual, with his side’s top-four hopes as well as bragging rights on the line.

He said: “We are in the mix. We are going for everything and guaranteed nothing. We are not even guaranteed to finish seventh in the league at this minute. Everton are on a terrific second half of the season run.

“I said after the game against Everton that for us to have any chance of anything at all, we’d have to win the last five games and that still stands.

“But it is a really tall order. The only game we can really deal with is the derby game. It would be great if we could get victory against Birmingham, for every reason under the sun obviously, but they will be coming with exactly the same in mind.

“It won’t be easy, as they have had a great season.”

The victory at KC Stadium made it an impressive nine away wins this term – only Manchester United boast more – and made Villa the first time outside the big four to amass 1,000 Premier League points.

O’Neill is delighted with the way his team have responded to their 7-1 drubbing by Chelsea, with 10 points from their last four Premier League games.

He said: “I think the team have shown a great deal of character all season and that was epitomised here. We’ve gone above Liverpool with three games to go and that is pretty exceptional.

“But where I’ve been pleased with the team, they have responded fantastically to the defeat at Stamford Bridge.

“They’ve come back and they’ve taken 10 out of the last 12 points.”