Fabian Delph has said that he is very confident Aston Villa can avoid relegation this season, and "wouldn't have signed" a new contract with the club if there had been a possibility of the team going down.
England international Delph signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract at Villa Park in January, since when the club have fallen into the relegation zone and sacked manager Paul Lambert.
Delph told BBC Sport: "When I signed my contract there wasn't a thought in my mind that relegation was going to happen. If that was the case, you'd have argued that I wouldn't have signed the contract.
"When I signed we were trying to get into the top four but I've been in relegation battles since I've been a regular starter here, which isn't something I am proud of.
"Each year, we've crossed the line and got through and I don't see this year being any different. We're confident in our own abilities and I'm 100% certain we will get over the line."
Delph, who joined Villa from Leeds United in 2009, had been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur before signing his new contract.
Matthew Smith
