Fans turn on Villa after another defeat

A crowd of angry supporters chanted 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' at players boarding the team coach.

It came following Saturday's 3-1 defeat at fellow strugglers Sunderland, a result which left the claret and blues marooned at the foot of the table.

And with the club facing up to a seemingly inevitable relegation, there are suggestions of a larger protest now being organised.

It could come at the home game with Leicester City on Saturday week, as fans prepare to vent their frustrations at the board and absentee owner Randy Lerner.

Fan groups are calling on supporters to assemble after the final whistle, following the televised game against the Foxes.

Yet, despite being 11 points adrift of safety and yet to win during his reign, manager Garde still believes his team can pull off a miraculous escape.

He insisted:"There is still light in front of us, there are games to play. We only have one direction, and that is to work more and to fight to try to win games.

"You never know in football. I feel that the players deserve better."

Trailing to Patrick van Aanholt's deflected first-half effort, Villa got back on level terms just past the hour-mark through Carles Gil.

But two goals from Jermain Defoe meant it was the Mackems who gave their survival hopes a boost.

Villa have lost five of nine games under Garde, who is determined to add new players during the January transfer window.

He said: "In life and football, you first have to believe. If you don't you have no chance to do it. I am realistic as well. But in football you can have a run of winning games."

"In every league in every year you see teams losing games and then winning four, five, six in a row. Why not us?"