Villa boosted by Carlos Sanchez's return
Aston Villa are set to be boosted by the return of midfielder Carlos Sanchez from injury - as boss Remi Garde insisted his team can survive in the Premier League.
The claret and blues go to Swansea on Saturday in desperate need of a victory to provide even the merest glimmer of hope in their battle to beat the drop.
With eight games to go, Villa are bottom of the league, nine points from safety and have lost their last five games.
But Garde said: "We still have the obligation to believe. It's something we should have inside every player, inside myself.
"Of course we are in a very bad period with five defeats. We have a very important away game. It's always difficult.
"Even if Swansea are not in the best position, they are in a far better position than us. They need also to win."
Sanchez is set to return having missed two months with a hamstring injury, though Adama Traore (foot) and Jack Grealish (ankle) are still sidelined.
Garde said: "You have to balance his (Sanchez's) comeback. He hasn't been playing for a long time. Cannot expect to have the best from him.
"On the other side, he's a very experienced player and it could be interesting for the team."
The Villa manager, meanwhile, declined to comment on this week's departure of sporting director Hendrik Almstadt from the club after just eight months.
Almstadt left Villa by "mutual consent" on Tuesday. It is understood he and Garde had a somewhat uneasy relationship.
But when Garde was asked about Almstadt's exit, he replied: "No comment. It was a board decision. This is not my position."
