Gareth Barry insists Aston Villa are "looking upwards" in the Premier League rather than at the threat posed by Arsenal to their hopes of securing a Champions League spot.

Villa, in fourth place, have taken only one point from the last three league games, and their lead over fifth-placed Arsenal has been cut to three points.

But Barry, Villa's stand-in captain in the absence of the injured Martin Laursen, is adamant they should try and climb higher up the table. "We've just got to try and see it through in the final part of the season," he said. "But we would prefer to be looking up, chasing Liverpool and Chelsea.

"That is the aim, rather than thinking about Arsenal. You've always got to think like that, no matter who you are. We are still in there.

"Some of the the results [elsewhere] keep giving us chances. The players, the manager, the fans, everyone at the club realises you've got to try and take it while it is there this season. We are right in there still."

Barry admits Villa's home form has given cause for concern, with 20 points dropped in front of their home fans compared to ten wins in 14 games on their travels - despite the midweek setback at Manchester City.

A 2-2 draw with relegation threatened Stoke City last weekend, after leading 2-0 with three minutes remaining, summed up Villa's failure to make the most of being on home soil. "It would have been nice to put the home form to rest last weekend, and we were looking at three points," Barry said. "But all of a sudden, we lost concentration.

"It felt almost like a defeat after the game. It was a massive disappointment. We should have been able to see the game through, and it was a lesson to be learnt.

"It is baffling that we have dropped as many points at home; if we were playing as well as we are away, we would be top of the league."