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Tim Sherwood fighting for Villa future

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Tim Sherwood is already fighting for his Villa future, with reports suggesting the boss has just two games to save his job.

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The former Tottenham boss was appointed by the Villa Park hierarchy in February and guided the Villans away from the relegation zone and to the FA Cup final.

However, since the loss of star striker Christian Benteke to Liverpool and skipper Fabian Delph to Manchester City in the summer, Villa's new-look squad have managed to win just one of their opening eight Premier League fixtures of the season – on the opening day of the campaign at newly-promoted Bournemouth.

Just a solitary point – at home to winless Sunderland – has followed since, and Villa are currently on a run of four straight league defeats, sparked by a 3-2 reverse to Leicester City in a match Villa had been leading 2-0.

Sherwood is understood to have had a meeting with chief executive Tom Fox about the run which has left the claret and blues four points adrift of Albion and mired in the relegation zone.

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Although they beat Second City rivals Blues in the League Cup and threatened to get something at Anfield when going down 3-2 to Liverpool, a derby-day defeat to Albion and last Saturday's 1-0 home loss to Stoke City means Villa are already four points adrift of safety.

Sherwood has been booed off at the end of matches against Stoke and Albion, as well as at half-time against Blues.

And he admitted last week that he is still searching to come up with his best 11 after a summer overhaul of the squad in which he spent more than £50m – mainly on unproven players from France.

Reports at the weekend suggest Villa's next two games – away at Chelsea followed by a home clash against Swansea City – could be crucial to Sherwood's future.

One claim suggested Sherwood could be fired if he fails to win one of the clashes.

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And even if he survives, Villa face more unenviable matches on the horizon with Southampton, Spurs, Manchester and Everton all looming.

The manager is understood to have discussed Villa's recent poor run of form with Fox last week.

It has been also suggested the board has become alarmed at Villa's bad run after backing Sherwood's spending over the summer.