CAREW: I REALLY FEEL FOR OLD FOE OVER EURO BLUNDER.

Byline: By MAT KENDRICK

JOHN Carew is backing Villa to keep their European dream alive at Everton today - after expressing sympathy following his former foe's European nightmare just down the road at Liverpool.

Carew will be hoping to fire Martin O'Neill's UEFA Cup-chasing latecomers into fifth place at Goodison Park by continuing the ferocious form that swept aside Birmingham last weekend.

But, although he is fully focused on the clash, he has still taken time to spare a thought for Norwegian compatriot John Arne Riise's midweek misery.

The Liverpool defender jeopardised the Reds' Champions League ambitions by heading a late own goal to earn Chelsea a draw in the semi-final first leg at Anfield.

Carew, pictured, admits that he felt for Riise on Tuesday night - despite recalling the moment when he decked his international team-mate during a furious row.

The 6ft 4ins striker infamously knocked the ginger defender unconscious on the Norway team bus following a bust-up in training almost five years ago.

But he has since made up with Riise and believes the embarrassing own goal would have hurt the left back more than the punch he delivered.

"I felt it in my stomach, I felt sorry for him," said Carew. "I sent him a message telling him to forget it and put it behind him. Watching it I just felt for him and had this bad feeling.

"He got a lot of bad attention after it.

"Chelsea, of course, have the advantage. They're strong at home and they managed to get the goal away and a draw.

"But Liverpool in Europe is something different to Liverpool in the league."

Recalling the moment he knocked Riise out cold, Carew continued: "That's all in the past a long time ago and we're very good friends now.

"It started in the changing room, sometimes you are just in a bad mood in a bad period and it can happen.

"It happens in a career, but I would absolutely not wish what happened to him on Tuesday."

Carew will be more concerned about the goings-on on the other side of Stanley Park when Villa travel to Merseyside for today's 4pm showdown.

Having taken his season's tally to 12 with his brace against Blues, Carew is convinced Villa can continue the form which has seen them score 15 goals in three games.

The former Champions League finalist admits he thought their Euro challenge was over before routing Bolton, Derby and Birmingham.

Carew hopes Villa can continue to ride the crest of their claret and blue wave and he compares their fifth-place push to a surfer trying to stay on a board.

"It's like a six-point match at Everton," said Carew. "If we win we are in front, if we lose we are six points behind with two matches left.

"It's a big day game for us, one of the biggest since I came here.

"Every football player wants to participate in European competitions. Its's important for the fans and an important experience for all the players.

"I'd love to get back and play in those evening European games again.

"A draw at Everton still leaves the hope alive, but we are like a surfer on a wave and we just hope we don't fall off the board.

"They try to stay on the wave as long as they can before they fall off. We need to stay on the board as long as we can."

Carew opened his account for the season in Villa's 2-0 home win against Everton last September - but went on to pick up the knee injury which disrupted his season.

CAPTION(S):

EURO BID: John Carew is looking forward to Everton