O'Neill lavishes praise on Carew as Villa emerge victorious in Midlands derby

John Carew celebrates Villa's opener with midfielder Gareth Barry in the 2-1 win over West Brom

The importance of John Carew to Martin O’Neill was underlined emphatically as his giant presence earned their third away triumph in a week.

The Norwegian scored a trademark goal from a free-kick, contributed to Gabriel Agbonlahor’s winner and hit the post twice as Tony Mowbray’s failed to observe the basics against their local rivals.

Carew, who sat out Villa’s UEFA Cup trip to Bulgaria, undoubtedly benefited from the rest as he unnerved an Albion rearguard who simply could not cope with the confrontation.

The victory lifted O’Neill into fourth and extended the hosts’ 23-year wait for a victory on their own soil against Villa.

The scoreline, however, was undoubtedly a fair one as Carew collected the 100th goal of a career that has included spells in Spain, Italy and Turkey.

Two goals in as many minutes in the first half provided the platform for the visitors and although James Morrison hauled West Bromwich back into the contest, they failed to test Brad Friedel at all after the interval.

‘John Carew is essential to us,’said delighted Villa boss O’Neill.

‘He gives us that bit of presence and he can play himself. I couldn’t be more pleased with him.

’The victory over a West Bromwich side who contributed to their own downfall marked the best seven days since O’Neill tookover at Villa Park two years ago.

His opposite number, Mowbray, is normally even tempered but rank bad defending would have tested the patience of a managerial saint.

‘Football should not be that easy,’ he moaned.

‘One ball into the box that’s headed in by their centre forward?

'It should not be that simple.

‘We were vulnerable at times. I won’t criticise their desire and determination, but we conceded two goals in a couple of minutes and you’re going to lose games if you defend like we did.

'It was justbad defending.‘

'Conceding goals from set-pieces has been an achilles heel for us.

'But if you get the right personnel on the pitch, it’s a help.’

That was a reference to West Bromwich losing defender Abdoulaye Meite, who suffered a recurrence of a calf injury just minutes before the game kicked off.

Leon Barnett was drafted in and was nowhere to be seen as Carew went close with a header from an Ashley Young free-kick during the opening skirmishes.

The hosts did not heed that warning.

Young punted a ball straight down the middle and Carew, wholly unopposed, looped his header into the net off the inside of the post.

From the restart, Villa swiftly regained possession.

Carew forced Barnett into a half-hit clearance that was picked up 30 yards from goal by Agbonlahor.

Faced with Jonas Olsson, it was a no contest.

He scooted down the outside of the Swede and his crisp cross-shot was too good for Scott Carson.

That silenced The Hawthorns. But it was soon noisy again when Robert Koren’s curling shot was spilled by Friedel and Morrison was too quick for Nicky Shorey and pounced on the loose ball.

Gabby Agbonlahor hits Villa's second at the Hawthorns

It should have been game over by the hour mark with Carew having chances to score twice more, smacking a Nigel Reo-Coker pass against the foot of the post and hitting the same spot from Stiliyan Petrov’s centre.

Mowbray tried to change things by playing two up front but it was not as effective as when Roman Bednar ploughed on alone Curtis Davies, who endured some fearful abuse for swapping one West Midlands club for another, was peerless for Villa as he repelled everything that the disappointing Luke Moore could throw at him.

The big defender managed to retain his composure, too, at the final whistle as he was jeered off at a club who once thought so much of him they made him their second youngestever captain.

But the final word belonged to Villa boss O’Neill, who said: ‘The momentum we have at the moment is terrific. We played Monday night, Thursday afternoon and Sunday lunchtime.

‘Three games in seven days and three victories. I couldn’t be morepleased.’

All that was left was for goalscorer Agbonlahor to say at the final whistle that the only player he would swap Carew forwould be Pele.

More than a touch over the top.

But after three away day triumphs and a derby victory among them, the Villa youngster’s unbridled enthusiasm is understandable.