McLeish expects to stay up

McLeish expects to stay up

Alex McLeish: Aston Villa manager remains confident the club will stay in the Premier League

Alex McLeish remains confident Aston Villa will retain their Premier League status and is fully aware of the financial implications of relegation.

Villa have won just two of their last 11 games and sit five points above the drop zone ahead of Saturday's trip to Liverpool.

The club suffered an increased loss of 54million for the financial year ending May 2011 and going down to the Championship would add significantly to their financial concerns.

However, despite the loss of several key, experienced players to injury and illness, McLeish believes he has a squad capable of securing t op-flight survival.

Big challenges

McLeish said: "Has Randy Lerner (club owner) mentioned relegation to you? I think we could all do without it. It doesn't bear thinking about financially so that's why I believe that we'll stay up.

"We've got big challenges in the next eight games but I believe we have enough in us to get points.

"We'll try to win as many as we can. Would I take 15th spot now? Probably, absolutely."

McLeish concedes he always expected this season to be an uphill battle, but has no regrets about making the controversial switch from local rivals Birmingham.

He said: "It's not been easy and I knew it wouldn't be. I thought it would be tough, especially when you look at the comparison with the two squads from this year to last year.

"Last year's squad was a little bit stronger, so I knew it would be tough. But it doesn't mean to say that we can't finish another three or four places up the table.

"But I've never wished I didn't make the move. I never, ever look back and regret anything.

"You always wonder what you might be doing now if you didn't do it, but I have always vowed never to regret anything."