Revitalised Villa face stern test at Chelsea

LONDON, Sep 28 (Reuters) After years of stagnation in the top flight a wave of optimism is sweeping Aston Villa, fuelled by an impressive league start, a change in the boardroom and the arrival of manager Martin O'Neill.

Villa, in fifth place and unbeaten, visit champions Chelsea on Saturday in a match which will test their credentials to challenge for a European place.

Six matches into the season the Premier League summit already has a familiar look with champions Chelsea out in front on 15 points, two ahead of Manchester United.

But it is the starts made by Villa and Portsmouth, who are away to struggling Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, that have caught the eye.

O'Neill, who ended his self-imposed 15-month break from football to succeed David O'Leary at Villa Park last month, has already stamped his mark with Villa securing three wins from three at home and three draws on their travels.

Off the pitch the arrival of American billionaire Randy Lerner, who has succeeded long-standing chairman Doug Ellis, has been greeted by almost unanimous approval, far removed from the vitriol that met Malcolm Glazer's takeover at Manchester United.

O'Neill returned to his former club Celtic to sign influential Bulgaria captain Stilian Petrov but has not been afraid to give youth a chance.

The emergence of Birmingham-born winger Gabriel Agbonlahor has been a major plus, with the 19-year-old forming a dangerous partnership with strikers Luke Moore and Juan Pablo Angel.

After loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Watford Agbonlahor broke into the first team at the back end of last season.

He has started every game for Villa this season and grabbed his first goal in the 2-0 home win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

O'Neill faces a real test at Stamford Bridge, where Villa have lost on their last four visits, against a Chelsea side who have won four successive league matches without ever hitting top gear.

''The team has been a pleasant surprise,'' O'Neill said after the Charlton win. ''We are going to get beaten. We have an easy game next weekend against Chelsea but we won't fail through lack of attitude or determination.'' Chelsea's morale has been boosted further by their 3-1 Champions League win at Levski Sofia in midweek, with Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba scoring a hat-trick.

After four successive wins to start the season second-placed Manchester United, who welcome Newcastle United to Old Trafford on Sunday, have suffered a home defeat by Arsenal followed by a draw with Reading.

England striker Wayne Rooney has not scored in four games since returning from a three-match ban but team mate Louis Saha, who scored United's winner in the 1-0 Champions League success over Benfica on Tuesday, has looked sharp.

''I look at Wayne in the same way as I look at Thierry Henry,'' Saha said. ''If he is not scoring or providing two or three assists in a game everyone thinks he is playing badly.

''He creates massive problems for every defender who plays against him,'' added the Frenchman. ''We all know the quality he has and the impact he can have on a game when he is on form.'' In other Saturday games, resurgent Arsenal travel south of the river for a London derby with Charlton Athletic while fourth-placed Everton take on Manchester City at Goodison Park.

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