Remi Garde says he has no option but to select Aston Villa's under-performing players

Aston Villa boss Remi Garde has conceded he has no option but to select the club's under-performing players despite questioning their commitment.

Villa are eight points from safety and bottom of the Premier League with Garde believing some players are taking their places for granted.

The Frenchman takes his team to Stoke on Saturday after being thumped 6-0 by Liverpool in their last outing - Villa's worst home defeat in 81 years.

Garde, who did not add to his squad in January, is missing several injured players and admitted he would make changes if he could after doubting the passion of some of his regulars.

"I cannot say 100 per cent but maybe, yes," said the Frenchman, who has won just three of his 18 games in charge.

"When I see players not 100 per cent committed I need to know why and my job is to make them fully committed. Saying this I cannot go into every brain.

"They are young, healthy, passionate and they can play at the highest level. Should I repeat that every game? That we are not playing in the countryside, against a small team and just 10 people watching us? It's strange for me.

"To run a football team if you have no competition within the team and within the squad it's not the best thing.

"Some of them could be [taking their places for granted]. This is not healthy for the squad and for the team.

"But I'm not sure that I saw enough quality among the reserve team to put a player in a very difficult situation in Aston Villa's first team at the moment."

But despite handing midfielder Jordan Lyden his debut and including 18-year-old Keinan Davis in recent squads, Garde is wary about playing youngsters.

Garde said: "I don't want to put them in a very bad situation that could make you say 'okay, they are not the level'.

"Maybe this is not the right time and maybe they are not ready enough."