David Platt says Gareth Barry must leave Aston Villa and join Liverpool if he is to further his career.

The former Aston Villa midfielder has been criticised by Martin O'Neill for his forthright views after he urged Barry to leave Villa Park last month. But Platt has once again called on the England international to leave the club in order test himself at the highest level.

"Michael Carrick needed to leave and join a big club because it puts bigger demands on you and it is the same with Gareth Barry," Platt said. "It's not necessarily the people within the club but just the level you are playing at and what you are playing for.

"I've always said that Michael Carrick was like a Rolls Royce. He needed to put his foot down and have to run to show what it could do - and I'd say the same with Gareth. At the moment he can walk into the Aston Villa team. He is guaranteed a place.

"At Liverpool there will be a massive amount of pressure next year. There will be more demands of him at Liverpool than there would be at Villa and he needs to go to reach that level."