Pearce dreaming of Europe after slaying away day jinx

Manchester City's Darius Vassell, pictured in 2005, extended his personal vendetta against Aston Villa to finally end Stuart Pearce's desperate wait for a Premiership away win. City won 3-1

Stuart Pearce insists Manchester City can challenge for a European place after finally ending their desperate wait for a Premiership away win against Aston Villa.

City manager Pearce is convinced his side can build on their first away win since April to forge their way into the top six of the table and ensure next season's travels take them further afield.

Darius Vassell extended his personal vendetta against Villa with his fifth goal in five games to help ensure City condemned Villa manager Martin O'Neill to his first defeat at Villa Park, the Birmingham club going down 3-1 on Wednesday.

Joey Barton enhanced his hopes of a call-up to Steve McClaren's England squad with the second before Gavin McCann drove in a consolation 22 minutes from the end.

But City finally ended their travel sickness and secured their first away win since April - ironically at Villa - when Sylvain Distin grabbed the third.

And Pearce said: "We've dominated against a side that had not lost at home this season with a good manager and we have got to go on from this.

"We need to use this as a platform to build on. As we stand at the moment we're five points off third place, that's how condensed and tight it is.

"I said a similar thing six weeks ago, that this is a very tight league this year. The top two teams are going to force their way ahead but for the rest of us anyone can beat anyone.

"That also means that you can lose to anyone and get sucked into a relegation battle. But we've thoroughly deserved this victory and collectively and individually it was a fantastic performance."

Pearce had suffered defeat in 14 of his last 16 trips but City never looked in danger of slipping to another miserable outing as Villa produced their worst performance under O'Neill.

It was only Villa's second league defeat under the former Northern Ireland international midfielder but will certainly have served as a reminder to American billionaire chairman Randy Lerner that he will have to fund a major spending spree in the January transfer window.

O'Neill said: "The owner has seen a number of games now and watched us do well. He's also seen us perform not so cleverly and I'm sure he will be disappointed with that one.

"We didn't play well in the first half and were second best for almost all of it.

"We got ourselves together in the second, got back into it and I honestly thought we could equalise. But the third goal was a killer and in the end they've won comfortably.

"We're not exactly famous for coming out the traps at lightning pace and they got comfortable very early on. They were poor goals for us to concede.

"But I've still been very pleased after 15 games even though we've got lots to do to be a really decent Premiership side. I'm not talking about the Manchester Uniteds and Chelseas but a decent side."

Vassell had delighted his terrace critics early on by slicing wastefully wide from a good position but seized his moment against his former employers in the 18th minute.

Tunisian international Hatem Trabelsi's cross was flicked on by Giorgios Samaras into the path of Vassell and he powerfully drove the ball past Stuart Taylor from eight yards out.

Villa had never looked in danger of losing their unbeaten home record in their previous seven matches but were simply atrocious in the first half.

Therefore it was no surprise when City extended their lead through Barton just after the half hour with a simple finish from Samaras's pass.

O'Neill's side were marginally improved in the second half and they finally snarled some defiance in the 68th minute when McCann drove a 25-yard shot past Taylor, his first goal of the season.

But Distin displayed great strength to barge past Liam Ridgewell for an impressive third 15 minutes from time to ease City to victory.