Steve Bruce sends warning to his Aston Villla players
Boss Steve Bruce has admitted some members of Villa's squad are playing for their futures and warned they cannot let the season end with a whimper.
Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to Reading left Villa sitting 12th in the Championship and with only three games remaining, after today's trip to Fulham, they appear destined for a mid-table finish.
But Bruce is eager for his team to complete the campaign as strongly as possible, after confirming he is still assessing his squad ahead of what will be an important summer.
Promotion will be the aim for Villa next term and the manager admits there are still certain players who need to convince him they are worth keeping around.
"The players here now are out to remind me of what they have got and if they are good enough to take the club forward," he said. "I am still assessing most of the squad. Even though I have been here five or six months, for a club like ours we can't be happy to be 10th, 11th or 12th in this division. That will not be acceptable."
He added: "We have a derby next week and probably have the champions (Brighton) coming on the last day. We cannot let the season drift away."
Saturday's defeat ended a run of five consecutive victories at Villa Park and Bruce blasted the 'individual errors' which cost his team dear.
A mistake by Jordan Amavi allowed Joseph Mendes to open the scoring inside six minutes and though James Chester levelled things up for Villa, Mendes capitalised on more sleepy defending to restore the visitors' advantage 19 seconds into the second half. Lewis Grabban then sealed the points with a penalty after Leandro Bacuna had hauled down Liam Kelly.
