Aston Villa players Zat Knight and John Carew are urging skipper Gareth Barry to stay at Villa Park.

Defender Knight said: "It shows where Villa want go when the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea come in for Gareth and yet he still wants to see what is going to happen here.

"It just shows where Villa want to go because a lot of people would jump at the chance to go to Liverpool or Chelsea.

"We are trying to build something special here over the next couple of years and hopefully he can be part of it. We need Gareth to stay because he has got that bit of class.

"We are just pleased to have him at the moment and hopefully we can keep him."

Carew, whose two goals against Blues took his tally for the season to 12, said: "I can't really say about Gareth and his situation. I just hope he stays and he is one of our most important players.

"What will happen, or not happen, is difficult to say. I think he will stay. He is our captain, he is the symbol of the club. I think he will stay but let's wait and see."