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What can Aston Villa do to stand a chance of Premier League survival?

Aston Villa players leave the pitch after the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Aston Villa at Goodison Park
Image: Aston Villa are without a win in 15 league games, and sit bottom of the table

After years of sleepwalking, the odds are now stacked against Aston Villa falling over the line to achieve a 29th consecutive year in the top flight.

With six points from 16 games, a position no team has recovered from in Premier League history, Remi Garde's adopted side go into the Christmas period eight points from safety, and without a win since August 8.

They travel to Newcastle on Saturday Night Football, and though the phrase 'six-pointer' may be an exaggeration given Villa's amassed tally this season, it represents the start of a defining period for Garde.

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Here, we look at what Villa must do to stand a chance of maintaining their Premier League ever-present status.

Take advantage of the next five games

Villa's performances in their first five Premier League fixtures was emblematic of the revolving door at Villa Park in the summer; much promise, but much work to be done following 11 senior signings.

Registering a win, two defeats and a draw as Tim Sherwood watched his side cruising 2-0 after 71 minutes at Leicester in mid-September, Villa's eventual plunge to a 3-2 defeat set the tone for the next three months.

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Remi Garde, Aston Villa press conference, December 5, 2015
Image: Remi Garde has gained two points from his five games in charge so far

Their lack of confidence is glaring, individual mistakes have not been banished since Garde's arrival, and a predictably over-cautious disposition has stifled any potential for creativity.

Any hope even the most ardent of Villa fans will hold for survival could hinge on their next five games; Newcastle (a), West Ham (h), Norwich (a), Sunderland (a) and Crystal Palace (h). In fact, in their next nine games, Villa will not face a team who finished higher than 10th last season.

Worryingly for Villa, teams in and around the drop zone have shown intermittent moments of quality this season. Though we have heard this before, Garde simply must come out of this five-game run with a positive tally.

Micah Richards celebrates Villa's equaliser just before the break
Image: Villa have not won since the opening-day victory at Bournemouth

Play to Rudy Gestede's strengths

Gabriel Agbonlahor has been dropped for one too many uninspiring performances, while Libor Kozak is battling it out in the reserves following two big injuries, leaving most of the onus on Gestede and Jordan Ayew in a stretched front three alongside Scott Sinclair.

The plan for Gestede seemed clear for Sherwood; the man who had scored more headers than any other player in the top four tiers between 2013 and 2015 was to be Villa's aerial threat in the absence of Christian Benteke.

But without exciting left-back Jordan Amavi, ruled out for the rest of the season, Villa's attempted crosses have reduced by almost a third, forcing Gestede to get involved in the rough and tumble outside of the box without much success. Delivery, and quality delivery at that, is key if Villa are to get the most out of Gestede.

Rudy Gestede put Villa through with a powerful second-half header
Image: Rudy Gestede has four goals in all competitions for Villa this term, but has not scored since September.

Winger Adama Traore, the speedy 19-year-old signed from Barcelona in the summer, has shown carefree naivety and extreme raw talent in equal measure in his 95 Premier League minutes, spread over six games.

It would be a risk, and his tag as a luxury player is granted, but Villa's current crop are doing little to keep him out of the starting XI, and the prudence needs to end.

Reintegrate Jack Grealish

"Sorry, forgive me, but what has he done in the game that's going to be the saviour for Villa?" were the words of Graeme Souness on Super Sunday. "He's a young man who has it all to do."

Grealish's demotion from the squad against Watford and Southampton was welcomed by most Villa fans, not only to encourage a much-needed professional nature off the pitch, but to give the youngster a kick on it.

Aston Villa's Jack Grealish  is seen on the bench prior to kick-off against Stoke.
Image: Jack Grealish was out of the squad for two games, but has now returned

The 20-year-old's performances this season, bar a fine second-half showing as a substitute in the Capital One Cup win over Birmingham City, have been underwhelming.

The midfielder was a breath of fresh air towards the end of the last campaign, showing a sprightly rawness and flair as Villa stayed up alongside the help of Benteke and Fabian Delph.

But Grealish, like Traore, is another risk, and seems to perform best when the team is brimming with confidence, a situation Villa could not be further from. It is likely Garde is still teetering on the edge of Plan A after five games in charge, but Villa's last throw of the dice could come as early as January. Risks may be all Garde has left by the New Year.

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Following their 2-0 loss to Arsenal, David Moyes, Graeme Souness and Thierry Henry were surprised by the attitude of Aston Villa's players

Grealish was back on the pitch from the bench during Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Arsenal, and Villa need his forward-thinking potential as much as they need grit and backbone in this relegation battle. They currently have little of either.

Reintegration is easier said than done, but Grealish now knows where he stands with the Frenchman.

Merson: Improve the squad

Former Villa midfielder Paul Merson told Sky Sports he believes Villa need to be active in the January transfer window, and that risks need to be taken at this desperate stage.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24:  Micah Richards of Aston Villa and Ashley Williams of Swansea City argue during the Barclays Premier League match between
Image: Villa are praying for a miracle, but their upcoming fixtures are more favourable

"They need to buy a couple of players, and they need a little bit of luck. One thing is for sure, they are not staying up with this side, it's as simple as that. They need to go into the market, take a chance and buy some players.

"But that isn't easy. I see Remi Garde saying 'you have to get the right player to improve the team', but it isn't going to be very hard to improve that team.

"It's not like we are looking at world-class players, you could even argue they could look for Championship players to improve that team."

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