Players must be flexible - Wright

Wright made 261 league appearances for Villa, scoring five goals

Former Aston Villa defender Alan Wright says there is nothing wrong with asking players to play out of position.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been criticised for fielding midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker at right-back in the 5-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.

But Wright believes footballers have to show some versatility.

"Obviously people have preferred positions but if that's what the manager wants, ultimately you do it for the good of the team," he told BBC WM.

O'Neill has consistently switched natural right-back Luke Young to the left side of defence, asking Reo-Coker, Carlos Cuellar and Craig Gardner to fill in on the right-hand side while England international left-back Nicky Shorey has largely been left on the bench.

They've dried up with the goals - if they get that going again I'm sure they'll finish in the top four

Alan Wright on Villa's Champions League hopes

"They are square pegs in round holes but that's the manager's decision," Wright added.

"If he feels you can do a job in there then you do it for him, that's basically the bottom line.

"People are always going to criticise you for playing people out of position but if that's what he felt was right for the team then that's what happens."

Villa are without a win since their away success at Blackburn on 7 February and a shaky spell has seen them eliminated from the FA Cup and the Uefa Cup as well as surrendering a sizeable lead over Arsenal in the race for a Champions League spot.

606: DEBATE

I'm sure MON has his reasons but I don't remember Reo-Coker having a good game at right-back, whereas Gardner has had quite a few

VillaMTBMan

The Gunners now lie fourth in the Premier League, three points ahead of O'Neill's men, but Wright feels Villa can still overhaul Arsene Wenger's side.

"They're still very capable, I think. Obviously they've dried up with the goals and I think if they can get that going again I'm sure they'll finish in the top four.

"You just hope that they manage to start scoring goals again pretty quickly really."

Left-back Wright, who spent more than eight years at Villa, is still turning out for Cheltenham Town in League One and hopes to earn a new contract this summer which would take him beyond his 38th birthday.