Aston Villa chief executive Tom Fox supports Remi Garde

Aston Villa will give manager Remi Garde their full support should the Frenchman require it in their relegation dogfight, says chief executive Tom Fox.

Garde replaced Tim Sherwood in the Villa Park hotseat in November but has yet to taste victory as boss with the club marooned at the bottom of the Premier League table, eight points from safety.

Villa chief executive Fox told Sky Sports News HQ that the manager has chairman Randy Lerner's complete backing and final say on any proposed transfer business next month. 

Asked would Lerner support Garde, Fox said: "It's up to Remi. If he decides he needs something he has the chairman's ear and his support, absolutely.

"Remi Garde has the complete and final say over players who are brought in and that situation hasn't changed between the last manager and this current one.

"The transfer window hasn't opened. Remi has only been here for five games. He will take every game he has to ascertain.

"I don't think it makes any sense to predict what he might need come January 2.

"It's not something that I have an opinion on. My job is to assist him when he decides there is something he might need. Right now the focus is on the players we have and getting the results in these next games over the Christmas period."

Fox admitted Garde was still evaluating his squad after the club signed 13 new players in the summer.

He said: "Remi has to determine what he wants his squad to look like and who he's got in the squad who can play the style he wants to play. It's purely his decision.

"If Remi Garde decides when it comes to January there are things he wants to do in terms of incomings and outgoings, that will be something he can recommend and have the ability to do.

"[But] I think it's premature. He's had a few games under his belt and he's got some very important ones coming up, too. I don't think even he will be able to tell you what he's thinking right now. He will let those games play out before determining what he's thinking."

The former Arsenal chief commercial officer insisted everyone at the club was happy with the summer transfer dealings despite the Villans being at a stage of a season where no team in Premier League history has survived with the same the amount of points Villa have now [six].

Villa travel to an upbeat Newcastle for Saturday Night Football's encounter, live on Sky Sports 1, and Fox added: "What is most important to me is whether the manager comes in and feels he has got a squad that can deliver the results that we need and the manager is pleased with the business that we did over the summer.

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"He knows a lot of the players not only the French players but the English players as well and is very positive on the business we did over the summer.

"What's most important to me is that the manager is happy with the players, the squad and the business we did over the summer. The manager is very positive on the business over the summer."

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