Aston Villa v QPR: Tim Sherwood and Chris Ramsey go head-to-head

Ahead of Aston Villa v QPR we take a look at the two friends who will go head-to-head as managers in this crucial battle at the bottom of the Premier League...

“The game really isn’t about me and Tim Sherwood, it’s more about Aston Villa versus Queens Park Rangers.”

While R’s boss Chris Ramsey was eager to shift the focus onto his team at a recent press conference, it’s hard to ignore the fascinating story surrounding the two friends and former colleagues who will go head-to-head in their first managerial encounter on Tuesday night.

Aston Villa v QPR is a crucial fixture for both sides. Villa, 17th in the Premier League on 28 points, could put five points and two teams between themselves and the relegation zone with victory. But three points for QPR would see them leapfrog their hosts and escape from the drop zone.

This time last season Villa manager Sherwood was holding the reins at Tottenham, recording the best win percentage of any Spurs boss in the Premier League era. QPR caretaker Ramsey was Sherwood’s assistant.

The pair had spent four years working together at Spurs, coaching the Under-21s before Sherwood was asked to take over from Andre Villas-Boas.

Twelve months on, Sherwood is aiming to maintain Villa’s ever-present Premier League status, while Ramsey has been tasked with salvaging Rangers’ season, following Harry Redknapp’s resignation in January.

Here, we take a look at the impact both men have made on their clubs since taking charge…

Tim Sherwood

Aston Villa record: P6 W2 D0 L4 F8 A8

‘Two wins and four defeats’ fails to capture the whole story of Sherwood’s effect at Aston Villa. Before taking control, Sherwood left the stands to deliver a half-time team talk which inspired a victory against Leicester. He then secured back-to-back wins over local rivals West Brom; the first earned three vital Premier League points, the second a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and a huge morale boost for the club. Then there was the stunning 4-0 thrashing of relegation rivals Sunderland. Defeats against Swansea and Manchester United have followed but in his six games, Sherwood has improved on Lambert’s points-per-game (0.88 to 1) and goals-per-game (0.48 to 1.33) ratios.

The players say: “He brought the team together and maximised the strength and potential of the squad. He has so much passion. It rubs off on everyone - it has with the fans and the players. The mood at Bodymoor Heath is electric, everyone is happy and that helps us go out there and really perform and do what we do best. We have had some good wins and we want to continue that and really maximise everything that we have got in the group. We believe we can stay up.” – Jores Okore

Ramsey says: “Without a shadow of a doubt I think he will keep them up. He has a good squad, players who have the wow factor and he knows how to manipulate those particular players. If I was a betting man, which we’re not allowed to do, I would be putting a bet on him keeping them up.”

Chris Ramsey

QPR record: P8 W2 D0 L6 F11 A13 

A valiant defeat to high-flying Southampton followed by a first away win of the season which lifted QPR out of the relegation zone - Ramsey made an impressive start as QPR caretaker boss. However, five defeats in a row – albeit four by the odd goal – left the R’s in deep trouble ahead of Easter weekend. A remarkable 4-1 win at West Brom, though, has given the Hoops hope. In his eight games at the helm, Ramsey has improved on Redknapp’s win percentage (21.74 to 25) and goals-per-game ratio (1.04 to 1.38). However, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City still to play, his toughest managerial tests may be yet to come.

The players say: “Chris Ramsey has brought in an air of calm and tidied a few things up. Now everyone understands what we are trying to do defensively and what we are trying to do attacking-wise. He's very hands-on as a coach, does all the sessions, yet still has time to take you to one side for five or ten minutes to do a specific drill.” – Matt Phillips on Kicca

Sherwood says: “I hope he does well. I respect Chris as a coach and a manager. For someone to put his head on the block like he has, good luck to him. I hope we both survive. Chris has done a good job. It's impossible to judge someone who has come in with 15 games left, with someone else's players, with no pre-season and asked to turn it around. Give the boy a break.”