Video: Boss Eric Black reacts to Villa defeat
Caretaker boss Eric Black admitted a "huge turnaround" is required to reverse Aston Villa's decline after defeat to Bournemouth all but confirmed their relegation.
The claret and blues received a mathematical stay of execution despite the loss to the Cherries, thanks to Crystal Palace's 1-0 win over Norwich.
But their relegation could be confirmed tomorrow, if Sunderland beat Leicester City. Black took charge of the team last month following Remi Garde's departure.
He expressed confidence Villa will eventually get back on track, despite their now almost-inevitable demotion from the Premier League to the Championship.
But the former Birmingham City assistant boss conceded that, after a season in which they have won just three league fixtures, it will still be a far from easy task.
He said: "This club I'm sure will come back but it is going to be a mighty challenge.
"I went down once with Birmingham and we came straight back up but my goodness it is a hard challenge and a huge turnaround at a club.
"The sooner we start putting things in place the sooner we start getting this club where it should be."
Goals from Steve Cook and Josh King were enough to condemn Villa to an eighth straight league defeat, with Jordan Ayew's late goal proving merely a consolation.
Several home players were booed throughout the game, while fans chanted 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' at the team.
After a miserable campaign, Black could understand supporter frustration.
He said: "I looked at a stat yesterday that Villa had won 18 or 19 home games in 80, which is about four-and-a-half games a season.
"That does not get the fans jumping up and down and building you with confidence. The fans have every right to voice their opinions.
"I must admit, if I was one of them, I don't think I would be jumping up and down and trying to build confidence.
]"I think the time has come, and I think it came before, for the club to give something back to the fans now.
"They have to make the first step toward the fans. Again there were 31,000 today, which is remarkable.
"The fans will get no criticism from me. They have voiced their opinion and have every right to voice their opinion. The club now have to take a stance and give something back."
He went on: "You can't turn round a club like this overnight. It is not going to be an overnight fix, there is going to be a lot of hard work done in between now and the start of next season.
"There is a lot of hard work to be done and they have got to keep the fans onside or give them something to get excited about between now and the end of the season."
