Arsenal yet to prove they are vintage, says Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill

Martin O'Neill has said the current Arsenal team will have to win the Premier League to prove themselves worthy successors to the 'Invincibles' of 2004. The Aston Villa manager, whose side take on Arsenal at home tonight, extolled the footballing qualities of Arsène Wenger's team and even suggested that their style of play may be more attractive than their illustrious predecessors', who went through the 2003-04 season without losing a Premier League game. O'Neill admires Arsenal's free-scoring approach and applauded the way in which they have coped without the injured Robin van Persie but, recalling the class of 2004 that "possessed everything", suggested the current ensemble have yet to demonstrate they have the other qualities required to land English football's greatest prize. "Arsenal's team that won the championship and went on that long run [of 49 league games unbeaten] had a different make-up to the side they have now," he said. "The players that they had were tall, athletic and pretty physical. Arsenal could have gone to any ground at any time in that era and performed because they wouldn't have been put out physically by any opponent. "This current team would have less of a physicality about them but who's to say that they're not actually a better footballing side, all round. That's possible but it takes a lot of things to win a championship. Arsenal, the year they won the championship with that very fine side possessed everything; this team, until they win the league, still have to prove that." O'Neill, nonetheless, said critics were too quick to dismiss Arsenal's title prospects in the wake of their home defeat to Chelsea in November and maintained that he never doubted their ability to recover and challenge Manchester United and Chelsea. "I never really thought they were out of it," he said. "You'd probably say now it's between the three of them although who's to say Manchester City aren't capable of pulling the deficit back." Villa have a chance to derail Arsenal's progress tonight and exact revenge for their 3-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium last month, although their preparations have been hampered by injuries. Stephen Warnock has joined John Carew and Nigel Reo-Coker on the sidelines after complaining of a problem with his shin and Stilian Petrov is struggling with an achilles injury.