Martin O'Neill has reassured Aston Villa's fans that the club's pursuit of European football is far from over, despite their morale-sapping 2-0 defeat to Wigan.

Victory for Villa would have increased the pressure on fifth-placed Everton in the battle for the UEFA Cup but the Latics completed only their second away win of the season.

That the first was against a hapless Derby side long since confined to the Coca-Cola Championship only emphasises the size of the opportunity O'Neill's men spurned.

But Everton's defeat to Arsenal on Sunday means that both clubs are still in the hunt going into the final game of the season.

The Toffees, who remain three points ahead of Villa, hold the upper hand but if they slip up against Newcastle and O'Neill leads his side to victory at West Ham, Villa would gain an automatic European spot for the first time in nearly a decade.

"We couldn't have put it in our hands (against Wigan) but we could have put severe pressure on Everton and we failed to do that," O'Neill said. "But I wouldn't be giving up. I think, looking at Everton's matches, winning Premier League games remains as difficult this week as it was last week and the week before and the last couple of years before that."