Newly-appointed Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood is hopeful that beating Stoke City will prove the first step on the road to Premier League survival.

Sherwood's side sit 18th in the table, with goal difference separating them from 17th-placed Queens Park Rangers ahead of Saturday's visit of Stoke.

With 13 league outings remaining, the 46-year-old, who replaced Paul Lambert, is convinced that the Villans are anything but dead and buried as far as survival goes.

"We know we're running out of time and we need to get the best out of this group as soon as possible and that's what we intend to do - starting Saturday," he told the club's website.

"We've underachieved. But we're not buried. We're still there and we have enough games to get ourselves out of it. We know it won't be easy but it's certainly achievable."

Villa, who have lost their last five Premier League outings, are without a win in 10 games.