Defender Luke Young has admitted Villa are under pressure to beat Stoke on Sunday – just as they will be in all of their remaining Premier League games.

A 2-0 defeat to CSKA Moscow sent Martin O’Neill’s men tumbling out of the UEFA Cup – leaving them with just a Champions League spot to fight for this season.

Young concedes the pressure is now on Villa to beat the Potters, following O’Neill’s decision to leave out eight first-team stars for the CSKA clash to rest up for Sunday’s Premier League game.

He said: “There is pressure on us now – but there has been ever since we were fourth and fifth.

“Every game there is pressure to win because the top teams win week in, week out and that is what we need to do to stay with them.

“It is pleasing that the games are coming quickly again and it is important to stop the rot.”

It was an evening of mixed emotions for Young, who was handed the claret and blue captaincy for the first time.

He added: “It was surprising, I didn’t know I was going to play but it was pleasing to me. I really enjoyed it even though there were five, six or seven contenders back home.”