Aston Villa saddled up by Tim Sherwood for Sunderland challenge
Saturday 14 March 2015 14:33, UK
Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood appeared to have Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup in the back of his mind as he looked forward to Saturday’s crucial Premier League game against Sunderland.
The Stadium of Light showdown could hold the key to avoiding relegation, with the Black Cats just a point and one place above fourth-bottom Villa, who themselves are just three points above the drop zone.
Villa have never been relegated from the Premier League and Sherwood is under starter’s orders for the final 10 matches of the season.
He said: "I think it'll be a photo finish and I hope we're not in it.
"We're probably just coming around the corner but it's probably the longest run-in in racing history.
"All we're looking at is the next fence and that's Sunderland. After that we hope we can stay in the running, there might be a few who fall along the way and we're hoping that's not us."
Villa have won their last two matches under Sherwood, beating West Brom in both the league and FA Cup.
They were his first victories since replacing Paul Lambert in February and the former Tottenham boss has been impressed with his squad's attitude.
Up for the fight
"They've been good and a win makes an awful lot of difference. They have been focused and up for the fight," he said.
"They haven't dwelt on the position. It's about looking forward now, what we have done previously counts for nothing."
Sherwood spent a number of years at Tottenham as assistant first-team coach under Harry Redknapp and Andre Villas-Boas, where he worked with new Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe.
And he said: "If Sunderland are going to survive it's going to be Jermain who keeps them in the Premier League, that's why they forked out that sort of money for him.
"He didn't have to go, he went for a lifestyle change to Canada but he still has that appetite to come back and play for Sunderland - in a relegation battle.
"He can score goals on his own but he prefers people to slide the ball across the six-yard box for him to be in the right place at the right time, that's what he's done all of his career."
