Martin O'Neill axes Patrik Berger over Barry advice

Patrik Berger has played his last game for Aston Villa after another row with Martin O'Neill.

The Villa boss was angry with Berger for telling team-mate Gareth Barry that moving to Anfield was "the chance of a lifetime".

O'Neill faces a tough fight to keep his captain after rejecting a £10million-plus-player bid for Barry from Liverpool last week.

His cause was not helped by Berger, who spent seven years on Merseyside, advising Barry to "go there tomorrow". O'Neill has responded by axing Berger, 34, who is out of contract next month, from Villa's final Premier League game of the season at West Ham.

"The sad aspect of it is we're paying Patrik's wages for him to recommend one of our players to another football club - it's ludicrous," said O'Neill, who was also livid with Liverpool for making a bid before the season was over.

"I was really disappointed and surprised that Patrik, with all his experience, would make such an inappropriate comment."