Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has described Arsene Wenger's comments about Gareth Barry as "bizarre".

Gunners boss Wenger admitted this week the 27-year-old England midfielder is "one of the players we follow", adding: "The problems with players who are 27, 28 is that you pay big money but you get nothing back, no resale."

But O'Neill said: "I've heard nothing from Arsene Wenger himself, so it is strange. I read his comments and I just thought they were strange. Bizarre, really."

He added: "What I would say is that Arsene Wenger doesn't usually come out with comments like that. I accept he has made a bit of a slip, shall we say."