Martin O'Neill believes Aston Villa striker John Carew is starting to show the consistency that will enable him become "a world-class player".

Carew will lead the Villa attack in Sunday's vital Barclays Premier League clash at Everton looking to repeat the level of performance he showed in last weekend's 5-1 demolition of Birmingham.

A brace of goals took the tally for Villa's leading scorer to 12 for the current campaign.

The Norway international has sometimes been anonymous in certain games but Villa boss O'Neill feels those occasions are becoming rarer.

He said: "John is exceptionally pleased with his own performances right now. His whole demeanour is oozing positivity and I am really pleased.

"When he is in the sort of form he showed against Birmingham he is unplayable, and it is great to hear other managers like Alex McLeish saying he is a real handful.

"Even on days when he thinks he has not been that good, other managers have still said after a game what a handful John is to their defenders.

"It is hard for him to reproduce top, top performances every week but his top, top performances are starting to happen more often.

"John would think himself he is capable of consistent top-quality performances. If he can add that consistency to his game then you have got a world-class player."

Villa will travel to Goodison Park bubbling with confidence after scoring 15 goals in their last three games against Bolton, Derby and Birmingham.

And victory will take them into fifth place and above Everton on goal difference in the battle for the Premier League's only guaranteed UEFA Cup spot.

O'Neill said: "It has become a very important game. I wouldn't play down the significance of it.

"When you look at it, there is only one league position up for grabs in terms of qualifying for the UEFA Cup and we have put ourselves back in contention.

"That is all we could ask for after the disappointment of a couple of home games against Middlesbrough and Sunderland, not only in terms of results but the performances as well.

"We seem to have put that right and it has been a great little spell for us recently.

"This is an important game but it won't change our way of thinking. We are not going to up there to sit back and be cagey for half an hour. If it turns out that way, it is because we are under pressure.

"At this minute, our best method of defending is attacking so there is little point in trying to change that and we might as well go for it."

O'Neill has no fresh injury worries but midfielder Craig Gardner (thigh) has not recovered sufficiently for him to be considered for selection.

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