Tim Sherwood: If Aston Villa beat relegation this season we will NEVER mess up again

TIM SHERWOOD is confident he is the man to put an end to five campaigns of relegation misery at Aston Villa – but only if he can first mastermind an escape this term.

03:30, Tue, Mar 3, 2015 | UPDATED: 06:52, Tue, Mar 3, 2015

Tim Sherwood GETTY

Tim Sherwood remains confident he can save Villa

Villa are under massive pressure heading into tonight’s derby duel with West Brom having lost their last seven Premier League matches.

Paul Lambert’s successor has as yet been unable to spark a turnaround in fortunes after losing his first two top-flight matches since. It is a sequence which leaves them second bottom – but even a draw over their rivals would lift them out of the drop zone.

The sides meet again four days later in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final with a place at Wembley at stake, and Sherwood said: “It’s no laughing matter now. You can’t tiptoe around the situation.

“The reality is we’re in it, but the reality is we’ve got an opportunity to get ourselves out of it. If we can get ourselves out of it, we aren’t ever coming in this situation again. Never.

“If we get out of this situation this season, we aren’t going to be in it next year because I will have the opportunity to build something and I won’t let that happen again.

“There is enough to work with over a long period, I’m just hoping I’ve got enough time here to save the situation.”

But Sherwood is confident Villa will stay up if they can triumph in the derby duel.

“First and foremost all we’re worried about is winning this game,” he said. “If we do that it will take us out of the relegation zone and we’ll never look back.”

Sherwood insists his players have to handle the pressure on board and has vowed to root out those who can’t hack the heat.

“There’s no getting away from it,” he added. “I’m not trying to put any extra pressure on guys, there’s already enough, they’re at a big club, wrong end of table, that’s pressure, can’t hype it up any more.

Talking Points Round-up - Gameweek 27

If we do that it will take us out of the relegation zone and we’ll never look back
Tim Sherwood

“I’m trying to flush them out, find out who have got the big b***s to go and do the job.”

Sherwood insists there is no added incentive to him plotting West Brom’s downfall this week despite twice missing out on the Hawthorns job in the last year.

Sherwood was on the verge of being named Albion head coach in the summer only for a deal to collapse at the 11th hour, with Alan Irvine landing the job.

Then, when Irvine was sacked in December, Sherwood was again a frontrunner, but it was Tony Pulis who won the race for the Hawthorns hotseat.

“Is there any extra needle in this match for me? Not at all,” Sherwood said.

“Good little club isn’t it? It just wasn’t right for me and wasn’t right for them. I am delighted to be at this massive club.”

Pragmatism has worked for Pulis since he took charge with the Baggies having lost just one league game since he took charge.

“Would I be afraid to go down the same route? Not at all, there is an art to defending,” Sherwood said. “You saw Chelsea do it yesterday. It is all part of the masterplan.”

Villa skipper Ron Vlaar is doubtful with a calf injury, while West Brom are facing a striker crisis ahead of the clash.

Saido Berahino (foot) and Brown Ideye (knee) are facing late fitness tests before the game after needing pain-killing injections to play against Southampton on Saturday, and Victor Anichebe is virtually out already with a groin strain.

Pulis said: “We’re not sure about Brown or Saido. That’ll be a late call on Tuesday before we make a decision on those two.”