James Chester calls on Aston Villa to improve if they want to make the playoffs

Saturday's 1-0 derby defeat at Wolves was the third on the spin for Steve Bruce's team and Chester hinted players are beginning to feel the heat, claiming losses hurt more at Villa than at any other club he has played for.

Villa are now 10 points behind the top six and will aim to get back on track when they host Preston this weekend.

"We are not making it easy for ourselves, that is without question," said Chester. "There are an awful lot of games in this league but if we don't go on a run quickly we are going to find ourselves further and further away.

"A loss at this club feels worse here than at any other club I have been at because of the history, the money we have spent this year and the following we have got.

"We have a good record at home. If we knuckle down we can hopefully turn it around."

Joe Mason's 15th-minute strike, after a mistake by Villa keeper Sam Johnstone, earned Wolves the derby spoils at Molineux with the visitors failing to register a shot on target.

Chester added: "It's a difficult moment. We are not keeping clean sheets and don't really look like creating many chances.

"Against Cardiff last time out and and on Saturday it is the type of game where if you aren't creating you have to make sure you come away with a 0-0. We have conceded two poor goals in both games but apart from that I don't think either team had too many chances against us.

"When you are in a difficult moment you have to make sure you don't concede.

"We are going to have to work hard as professionals and get ourselves out of it. No-one else will do it for us."