Tim Sherwood wants Aston Villa improvement

Tim Sherwood has told his Aston Villa side that they need to perform under pressure as they look to secure Premier League survival.

New manager Sherwood saw his first match in charge of the Midlands outfit end in defeat, as Stoke City recorded a 2-1 win at Villa Park on Saturday.

The Villa boss says that he is now looking for a response against Newcastle United on Saturday, when the team will be looking to end a run of six consecutive defeats.

"The fans were as good as gold. It's up to us now as a group to grind out those results," Sherwood told Villa's official website. "It's all about results now. We need to improve. We need to start improving very quickly.

"I have seen the quality of the group. It's about delivering it on matchday now. I am sure we will get it right. I want them to play a little bit more relaxed in the final third, get on the ball and express themselves a bit more.

"They are at a big club, the demands are high and they need to show that they are capable of delivering on the big stage."

Villa are 19th in the table with 12 games of the season remaining.