Dean Smith calls on Aston Villa supporters to be the 12th man against Liverpool

Villa have been able to count on a vociferous home backing over the past eight months during their surge from mid-table in the Championship back to the Premier League.

Saturday will see the seventh straight attendance in excess of 40,000 at Villa Park for a league fixture - the first time that has happened since 1949.

Smith said: “It’s incredible and I’m thankful for the support we get. They have bought into what doing and I’ve said before there is a togetherness.

“But there will be no time when we need them more than on Saturday – to crank up the atmosphere and be that 12th man.

“We’ve all see what Liverpool can do to teams at their place. It gives you a lift it gives you that extra adrenaline and hopefully our fans can do that for us as well.

“If they can go and create an atmosphere like they have against West Brom in the play-offs and then Everton this season, which is the best I’ve known at Villa Park, then it can become like Liverpool at Anfield, where the crowd have become their 12th man. Our crowd can become our 12th man.”

Liverpool have dropped just two points in their opening 10 Premier League matches.

But Smith has enjoyed a remarkable first 12 months in charge at Villa and knows anything can happen.

He added: “My brother’s mate came to game (against Wolves) on Wednesday and came down to my office afterwards and said: ‘This is mad, I can’t believe you are the Villa manager’.

“Listen, things can happen very quickly. We’ve already seen Norwich City beat Manchester City at home.

“The big thing for our dressing room is, if we did win – and we know it’s tough – it wouldn’t be a shock to us. That’s the message we want to convey to people.”