Safety dance suits music lover Fabian Delph as Aston Villa prepare for Stoke City

Fabian Delph is aiming for a top 10 hit with the sounds of Villa's survival music in his ears.

The midfielder has been instrumental in helping the claret and blues out of immediate danger and virtually guaranteeing safety. For much of the season Villa had been top of the flops until back-to-back wins for the first time in three years powered them away from danger.

Victory in Sunday's visit of Stoke would move Villa within a win of 40 points – a target which took them until the penultimate game to achieve in 2013.

Last term survival was only secured in the final week of the season when Wigan lost at Arsenal while under Alex McLeish Villa finished two points above the relegation zone in 2012.

Delph's winner in the 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Saturday lifted them to 10th – nine points clear of the drop – ahead of their final nine games. And with their Premier League status almost retained Delph is keen to keep Villa dancing to their winning tune.

"We've struggled in recent years, so it would be nice to have a calmer finish," he said. "We're joint-10th, so why not push on?

"We're not really looking at the table though. We're looking at the next game and trying to take each one as it comes. We keep saying this but the next game is probably the biggest game of the season."

Delph struck late to sink leaders Chelsea last week to clinch a victory Paul Lambert has hailed as his best win at Villa. It added to Manchester City's scalp at Villa Park and Delph insisted defeat never entered the squad's mind.

"We went in at half-time thinking we could get something out of the game. Losing wasn't an option," said the 24-year-old. "The fans were terrific and at half-time the roar from them was different class and I don't think we've had that this season."

Ryan Bertrand could return tomorrow after being ineligible to face Chelsea under the terms of his loan. Stephen Ireland, meanwhile, is set to make his first return to Villa since joining Stoke in January.

The Potters, a place below Villa, are looking for their first double over the claret and blues since 1966.

Watch Nick Mashiter's Villa preview below

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