Villa can survive: Friedel and Houllier

Aston Villa are confident of retaining their English Premier League status, according to keeper Brad Friedel and manager Gerard Houllier.

Houllier was jeered at their most recent loss – a 1-0 derby defeat by relegation-threatened Wolverhampton – and the French boss is confident the Midlands club can stay in the top flight, despite sitting just one point outside the drop zone with eight games remaining.

“We know exactly where we stand and the difficulty of our task,” Houllier said.

“You have to remain positive. You can’t spend your time reflecting on what happened.”

“We have eight games ahead of us now and never mind what has happened in the past. This is our league and the eight games ahead are vital for our future. Everybody is concerned because we are not dreamers.”

Houllier said the mindset was to tell his players that the new eight-game league starts on Saturday, when the Villans take on Everton at Goodison Park.

“There is a new league starting up for us of eight games and the mood is positive. A lot of players are internationals so they have that experience and they know what pressure is. I also know their personalities and they want to do well for the fans and the club,” Houllier said.

Veteran Friedel acknowledged his side’s woeful predicament – just 12 months after ending the season in sixth place and gaining a Europa League spot – but the American emphasised their remaining fixtures can be Villa’s saving grace this season.

“We’ve got eight cup finals (remaining this season),” Friedel told Sky Sports.

“We’ve got enough quality in the changing room and we’re confident to get the points on the board to stay in the Premier League.”

“It’s a shame we’re in the position we’re in. I can assure the fans that we’re all pulling together as one. We’re going to be taking these games incredibly seriously.”

“We’re determined to get enough points on the board to ensure our Premier League safety.”

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Premier League preview: Aston Villa v Blackburn

Points will be at a premium when Blackburn visit Aston Villa on Saturday, as the fight to avoid relegation intensifies.

Steve Kean’s Blackburn side have claimed just one point from a possible nine in their last three games, and sit on 32 points – five points clear of the relegation zone in a log-jammed bottom half of the table.

Just eight points separate bottom-placed Wolves from 10th placed Stoke.

Aston Villa are even worse off, with Gerard Houllier’s men securing just two points from their past three games, seeing them in 16th place, just two ahead of Wigan in 18th.

With each side still to play 11 games before the end of the season, every point is like gold dust for the managers and their clash at Villa Park on Saturday will be sure to test the nerves as Blackburn look to avenge their 3-1 loss to Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 29.

Defender Gael Givet is a chance to return from a groin injury for Blackburn, but Phil Jones remains sidelined by a long-term knee complaint.

Argentine midfielder Mauro Formica – a January transfer window acquisition – has a chance to make his first-team debut after starring for Blackburn’s reserves in their 5-1 thumping of Everton reserves on Tuesday.

Houllier has defensive concerns of his own ahead of the clash, with Luke Young still under a cloud with a knee injury and Spanish stopper Carlos Cuellar out for five weeks with a hamstring tear suffered in Villa’s 1-1 draw with Blackpool on February 12.

The match will be a difficult one for Blackburn skipper Ryan Nelsen, whose hometown of Christchurch in New Zealand was devastated by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday.

Nelsen’s family emerged unscathed from the quake, but the 33-year-old revealed he would wear a black armband on Saturday as a mark of respect to those who had lost their lives.

“I just feel so helpless. My family is okay,” the defender said.

“Everyone got through unscathed but my sister literally went into labour half an hour after the earthquake.”

“She was rushed into hospital. It was a little bit of a struggle in the end but, thank God, she had a little baby boy.”

“I was saying to my wife that I’ve been away from Christchurch for 14 or 15 years now.”

“This is the one time I’ve wished I’d been back home with my family.”

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