Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill admits Manchester City were a threat to their capture of West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.

He said: "There were noises coming out of Manchester City with regard to their interest in Nigel and I think that might have proved a serious danger to us.

"But once Nigel told us he had made the decision to come here he never wavered in that and during the conversations I have had with him his desire to come here and succeed had been patently obvious."