Martin O'Neill admits Aston Villa "should be contesting more semi-finals and finals" as they look to book a last-four place in the Carling Cup at the expense of Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Tuesday night.

And the Villa manager is aware lifting silverware would do wonders for the confidence and self belief of the players in the same way it did when he steered Leicester to the trophy in 1997 and 2000.

Villa's only two triumphs in the last 25 years were in the League Cup in 1994 and 1996 under Ron Atkinson and Brian Little respectively against Manchester United and Leeds.

Their only other final appearance during that period was in the 2000 FA Cup when they were beaten by Chelsea.

O'Neill said: "At Leicester when we did it, won the first trophy, it really was great. We needed a replay at Hillsborough to beat Middlesbrough and it is a fantastic feeling for everyone at the club, not just the manager.

"The players were particularly excited by it and, obviously for the fans, it is great to win something.

"You ask the old Leicester players, and it does wonders for your confidence and your whole morale - and it would be the just the same this time if the same happened at Villa.

"The history of this club would suggest we should be contesting more semi-finals and finals than they have done in the last 25 years.

"They have won this trophy once or twice. I remember Brian Little telling me that to win it was really terrific and the feeling that was felt throughout the whole club was really energising."

O'Neill will take nothing for granted against Pompey despite them propping up the Barclays Premier League and he has great sympathy for Paul Hart, who was sacked as manager last week.

But he also has a lot of respect for his successor, Avram Grant, and believes he would have stamped his mark at Chelsea had John Terry converted the penalty which would have won them the Champions League against Manchester United in Moscow 18 months ago.

O'Neill said: "I think Paul Hart had a really difficult task this season. There were players coming and, in particular, leaving the club and he did not get an opportunity immediately to replace them.

"He then had to get a number of players in at the back end of the transfer window and having to try and gel those players together isn't easy and doesn't happy overnight.

"I would reiterate the sentiment of most people in football in saying that Paul was desperately unlucky and I think Portsmouth's matches merited a few more points than they have got on the board."

O'Neill added: "Avram has got an opportunity now and obviously wants to stamp his own authority on things in the way managers do.

"The interesting thing is had John Terry scored the penalty, Avram Grant would have managed that side (at Chelsea) - and managed it very well indeed.

"It wasn't a case of him taking over for two or three games. It was a fairly lengthy period and managing brilliant players was a credit to him."

Central defender James Collins is again ruled out through a combination of groin and thigh problems but O'Neill has been pleased with the way Carlos Cuellar has slotted in alongside Richard Dunne after playing mainly previously at right-back.

O'Neill will check on the fitness of left-back Stephen Warnock and midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker before finalising his side.

Warnock missed the 1-1 home draw with Tottenham at the weekend through illness while Reo-Coker suffered an ankle injury during the game which forced him to be substituted.

Brad Guzan is likely to again deputise between the posts for current number one Brad Friedel after saving four penalties, including three in the shoot-out, during the win at Sunderland in the previous round.