It would appear suggestions of their demise have been exaggerated as they produced a battling, resilient 1-0 win over a Bolton side desperate to safeguard their Premier League future.

After three games without a win, and especially after last week's 7-1 drubbing at Chelsea, any victory - no matter the circumstances - was always going to be welcome.

Their Champions League hopes, although still slender as they trail fourth-placed Manchester City by five points, are intact.

Crucially, Villa at least now have a platform on which to base their revenge mission against Carlo Ancelotti's side in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final.

Many will suggest Villa's season now hinges on that game as a top-four finish is likely beyond them, but as far O'Neill is concerned, his players far from lack the necessary stomach for a fight.

"It's not too often the players have had regrets this season," said O'Neill, in reference to the debacle at Stamford Bridge.

"But occasionally you have to put things in perspective.

"A wretched last half hour at Chelsea should not take the gloss off a brilliant season and the effort the team have put in week in week out, month in month out, which is there to be admired.

"I don't think we would be in our position this season, after the games we've played and things we are going for, and the effort and determination of the side, without having something about us.

"This game was important for us because we showed people we have character, that it's there, that we have possessed it all season."

Villa will need such character in abundance against Chelsea if they are to avoid a double dose of Wembley heartache after their Carling Cup final loss to Manchester United in February.

Defeat there, combined with a Manchester City victory over midlands rivals Birmingham on Sunday, and Villa could easily find themselves eight points adrift of fourth and their season fast fizzling out.

But a defiant O'Neill added: "There will still be plenty of twists and turns.

"Of course, we lost ground with the Chelsea defeat, and the draws before that against Sunderland and Wolves.

"But at this stage of the season it's about ekeing out the results, and we deserved to win this game. I don't think anybody could doubt that.

"This was an important win, for pride and other things, but to give us the three points again, so there's plenty to play for.

"We've always been in the fight, and we're battling on."

At the opposite end of the table it is the same story for Bolton and boss Owen Coyle, whose side suffered a third successive loss without scoring.

Fortunately for Coyle, the two teams they are most wary of below them in Hull and Burnley both endured their own defeats to leave the gap at five points to the relegation zone.

Bolton threatened either side of Ashley Young's exquisite 11th-minute winner, but rarely tested goalkeeper Brad Friedel to ease their troubles and add to Villa's recent woes.

After recently climbing out of the bottom three to leave themselves at least looking down, Coyle dismissed suggestions his players had felt they were safe.

"We recognise there are still points to be earned," said Coyle.

"We recognise we were below the level we had previously performed at, which is a fair assessment, but it certainly wasn't because we felt we had enough points, that's for sure."

Other than a home clash with Portsmouth later this month, Bolton's run-in is hardly easy with games at Chelsea, Stoke and Tottenham, before ending the season with the visit of Birmingham.

Despite the current run of defeats, a fiercely-determined Coyle added: "There are games coming up we believe we can win.

"After this defeat we'll regroup and get our ourselves ready for the next game, which is the small matter of playing at Chelsea (April 13).

"But that's why we love the Premier League."