Culverhouse and Karsa suspended by Villa
Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa were today suspended by Villa as the crisis deepened at the club.
Assistant manager Culverhouse and head of football operations will be the subject of an internal investigation.
Veteran goalkeeper Shay Given and under-21 coach and Villa legend Gordon Cowans will temporarily assist manager Paul Lambert for the rest of the season.
Given said: "As players, it's important that each and every one of us take responsibility right now and I'm delighted to play my part in helping the manager and the team go and try to win on Saturday.
Cowans added: "The manager has asked me to step up to assist him at this time and I'll do my utmost for the Club and the manager in helping prepare the team for Saturday's game against Southampton."
Given, who was on loan at Middlesbrough earlier this season, has gone from being part of the 'Bomb Squad' and frozen out at Villa to now preparing the team for Saturday's visit of Southampton.
It leaves the future of manager Lambert in doubt with his two closest allies suspended by the club.
Fans called for the manager's head after the 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday and the latest development weakens his position.
Villa have lost their last four games and are just four points above the Premier League's bottom three ahead of their last five games.
He had worked with Culverhouse and Karsa since they were at Wycombe and the trio worked at Colchester before guiding Norwich to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
They all moved to Villa Park in 2012 as part of a bitter switch from Carrow Road.
Lambert said: "I'm delighted to have Gordon and Shay to assist me in preparing the team for Saturday which is what the whole group is focused on."
