Fans storm at General Charles Krulak as defender Tiago Ilori set for exit

Forgotten man Tiago Ilori could be set to exit Villa – as frustrated fans fired back at General Charles Krulak's claims the club require the spirit of the US Marines to secure Premier League survival.

General Krulak, the right-hand man of owner Randy Lerner and a member of the club's board, claimed the claret and blues can draw on his military experiences as they battle relegation.

Villa are bottom of the Premier League, 11 points adrift of safety.

But in a rare interview, General Krulak – a commander in the Gulf War who also served in Vietnam– said: "You can't tell me this is impossible. Three wins in a row and we are back in the mix. That's what Randy believes and what everyone at the Villa believes. The day you don't believe is the day you quit.

"Let's just look at Desert Storm. It was 4am and we were standing next to minefields separating Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

"There were trenches filled with gas, massive artillery ready to rain down on us and the threat of chemical attack.

"My next in command looked at me and said, 'how are we gonna get through this?' I said, 'we're gonna do it, we're gonna go through this like a knife through butter'."

His comments have been widely derided by a fanbase rapidly losing patience with the club's increasingly dire situation. Protests against the board are being planned for the home game with Leicester on Saturday week.

Defender Ilori, meanwhile, could be set for a return to Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp suffering mounting injury problems in defence and the Reds have asked Villa if they can have the 22-year-old back.

Coventry City are set to complete a permanent deal for Villa midfielder Joe Cole who has been enjoying a renaissance on loan at the Ricoh under Tony Mowbray.