Alan Hutton: Relegation battle cannot be considered at Aston Villa
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park
Alan Hutton has suggested relegation won’t even be a consideration at Aston Villa as the board relieved Steven Gerrard of his duties after his side’s 3-0 defeat to Fulham.
Villa are now on the edge of the relegation zone, level on points with Wolverhampton Wanderers after winning just two of their opening 11 matches.
Talking before Gerrard’s sacking, Hutton acknowledges it will be a tough situation for the players, but insists they should have enough to pull away from trouble.
“They have been down and around about the relegation zone and it can be very difficult, I’ve been there myself and you don’t know where the next three points are going to come from,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“Hopefully relegation isn’t even a consideration this season because they’ve got enough quality to be pushing up the table.
“The owners, chief executive, and everyone involved with the decisions made at Villa Park have made it clear about their ambitions and they want to be finishing in the top half.
“The pressure is always there at a big club.”
Villa will be hoping to make their next managerial appointment quickly, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank reportedly admired by those at Villa Park (talkSPORT).
Aston Villa face Brentford on Sunday (23 October) knowing that a loss could see them slip into the bottom three.
In other Aston Villa news, the links to Mauricio Pochettino are ‘pure speculation’ according to reports