Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has taken a swipe at Arsene Wenger ahead of tomorrow's Carling Cup final against Manchester United.

O'Neill will be contesting his SEVENTH League Cup final as player and manager.

And he reckons it is time Arsenal rival Wenger stopped bleating.

Wenger has annoyed the Villa camp by suggesting the Carling Cup does not count as a major trophy as they prepare to take on Manchester United.

O'Neill said: "I know that the Arsenal manager has been pretty scathing all the time in the League Cup. It would be interesting to see the team that he played against Wigan Athletic in the semi-final in 2006.

"I don't know it off-hand but I would have said that it was very, very strong. So when it suits them, it's a great competition. And when it doesn't suit you, then it's not."

In January 2006, after Arsenal lost the first leg of their semi against Wigan, Wenger called up Thierry Henry and also played Sol Campbell and Dennis Bergkamp for the second leg.

O'Neill added: "If you had seen or experienced any of the two semi-final matches from Manchester City and Manchester United, if somebody had said to any of those two football clubs that this trophy is not a trophy, then I think you would have got short shrift.

"It's an important competition. Manchester United, I'm quite sure, will field as strong a side as they possibly can on Sunday.

"They're contesting the Premier League, they're in the Champions League again and they will be treating this game with the utmost respect.

"Now if United and Chelsea can treat this competition with the utmost respect then that would really be enough for me."