Tim Sherwood hoping derby win against Birmingham can kick-start Aston Villa's season

Tim Sherwood's Villa have suffered a disappointing start to the season and sit fourth bottom

TIM SHERWOOD yesterday insisted he has not become a bad manager overnight - and what an occasion to prove it.

 

Sherwood's Aston Villa meet arch neighbours Birmingham in the third round of the Capital One Cup this evening, just three days after losing to another local rival, West Brom, 1-0, in the Premier League.

Birmingham love nothing more than putting one over their more fashionable second City neighbours.

And Sherwood knows his men are under pressure to ensure that will not happen again.

 

A disappointing start to the season has left Villa fourth from bottom and among the favourites to be relegated.

But Sherwood said: "If it was so good when I came in, all of a sudden it shouldn't be so bad now. As quick as it can change the wrong way it can change the bright way again.

"We know what this game means to supporters. It's not just a normal game. It is going to be intense. It's a big game. It will be blood and thunder. We expect that.

"We take it on the chin and we get on with it. We're in a difficult period results-wise. We're going to fight to get ourselves out of it.

 

Gary Rowett expects a tough scrap against city neighbours Aston Villa

"It would mean a lot to me because I could send our fans away happy. Winning could give us the confidence boost we need for the rest of the season."

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett expects nothing less than a scrap from the side from across the city.

"Tim Sherwood is a fighter, he is going to fight again for another game in front of their fans," said Rowett, whose Birmingham side have lost only one of their opening seven league matches.

He added: "I have got no doubt they will come out and try to be fast paced, get in our faces a little bit, they will have a real go for it early on and commit lots of bodies forward.

"The biggest thing for me is that I hope we're talking about the football at the end of the game.

 

 

Michael Morrison is aiming to shock Aston Villa and secure a famous win

"I know there is huge rivalry and fierce rivalry and I understand that and completely respect that, but I think we just have to make sure that there is a level of control.

"You want to go in there and make the game a little bit hotter and feistier than normal and when derbies are great that's often the reason why because there is such an edge to the game and that transpires through to the players."

And Birmingham skipper Michael Morrison has called for calm among the player as they look to shock Villa.

"It will be an evening for cool heads, obviously people are going to be getting excited and want to put in challenges, work hard and show all the fans they care as well - which they all do," said defender Morrison.

"We are going to work hard, we have a game-plan, we have confidence and we have good players as well.

"There is no reason why we can't go there and cause problems."