Remi Garde: I'm losing sleep over Villa's plight

The Frenchman is facing an increasingly desperate struggle to keep the claret and blues in the Premier League.

Villa, beaten 2-1 at Stoke on Saturday, host Everton tonight sitting eight points from safety, with the game set to take place against the backdrop of fan protests.

Garde, who took over from Tim Sherwood in November, has often displayed a calm demeanour despite the club's predicament but admits the strain is taking a toll.

He said: "I'm not sleeping very well, as you can guess. Between the two games (Stoke and Everton) there is little time but I try to do my best.

"If I was saying 'no it's not hard', nobody would understand it or believe me. I tell the truth. It's difficult.

"No way is the intention to leave the job until I'm told to do so of course. I know it's a difficult situation but in football, in life you have situations that you have to cope with and I'm strong enough to do so."

Villa have won just three league games all season and Garde continued: "I'm watching football at night to see how we can score goals and not concede any.

"I'm fully focused on the job. When I'm in the job I'm focused, 100 per cent."

Supporters are planning to walk out in the 74th minute of their next three home games – the time intended to represent 1874, the year the club were founded.

Garde will welcome back Jordan Ayew with the striker, who served a three-game ban after being sent off for elbowing Aaron Cresswell in last month's 2-0 defeat at West Ham, expected to go straight into the starting line-up.

Garde added: "Jordan can be important now. In a period when the team wasn't performing, Jordan was playing well.

"He made a big mistake for the team and I'm sure that he will have to prove to his team-mates and everybody else in the club that he regrets it."