Skipper Olof Mellberg has urged Aston Villa to prove that actions speak louder than words and claim a top-six Premiership place by beating Portsmouth tonight.

Mellberg knows that Villa have the capabilities to be at the upper end of the table and 10 points from the last four games have transformed their fortunes.

But the Swedish international knows that it is time for Villa to demonstrate that quality regularly rather than talking about it.

Mellberg told the Press Association: "I've said before that we have actually got to be there - in the top six - before we tell people that we should be there.

"We've been saying for a long time now that we have the capabilities to achieve that but we haven't done it. For much of the last season and a half we have been at the bottom end of the table.

"We can't blame being unlucky all the time and once we are there, we can tell people we should have been there before. But we've got to do the talking on the pitch."

Mellberg knows that it is not ideal for Villa to have to play two games in barely 48 hours but insists that the self belief is still sky high despite Sunday's 2-1 FA Cup reversal by Manchester United.

He said: "The confidence is still very good. We will go out with a lot of confidence on Tuesday. I don't think that will be a problem.

"We have to remember we played fantastic against Manchester United, one of the best teams in the world, for 45 minutes, and we have to try and perform the same way against Portsmouth.

"It is not ideal to play two games in just over two days. It would have been very important to get that extra day to recover. Portsmouth played on Saturday so that is definitely an advantage for them."

Mellberg added: "Portsmouth have slipped a little bit down the table so maybe their confidence is down, but we have still got to be very focused.

"We have dropped points at home against teams that people maybe thought we would beat easily or at least get the three points against - like Bolton and Middlesbrough. We have got to perform as we have been lately."

Villa manager David O'Leary has branded the hectic schedule as "a joke", particularly as he has such a small squad of players to work with.

But he will at least have the option of being able to freshen up the side in a couple of positions.

Full-back Mark Delaney has recovered sufficiently from the knee problem which will eventually require surgery and may replace Ulises de la Cruz.

Striker turned defender Dion Dublin is also available after being rested for the matches against Fulham and United and could come in for fellow veteran Ronny Johnsen.

Thomas Hitzlsperger could also earn a place in the starting line-up in midfield, although Lee Hendrie is unlikely to be kept out by the gash on the face which saw him stretchered off against United.