Garde: Villa players have right attitude to survive

Mark Holmes
Remi Garde: Says Aston Villa players have attitude to survive

Remi Garde: Says Aston Villa players have attitude to survive

Remi Garde says Aston Villa’s players again showed against Leicester City they have the right attitude to lead the club to Premier League safety.

Shinji Okazaki put Leicester ahead at Villa Park but Mark Bunn kept Villa within touching distance by saving Riyad Mahrez’s first-half penalty, allowing Rudy Gestede to cash in with 15 minutes left.

Villa are nine points from safety after collecting four points from their last two matches, but Garde believes it could have been even better had Robert Huth been penalised for striking Libor Kozak in the face.

The Frenchman says it “definitely” should have been a second-half penalty and remains confident Villa’s new-found belief can give them a shot of an unlikely escape.

“If you look at the two games we’ve played we can be pleased about the spirit,” Garde said. “These players have the right attitude to try to save the club from relegation.

“Sometimes it takes time. If there is pre-season it’s because it’s useful and when you don’t have pre-season to work with your team it’s more difficult.

“I didn’t have this time and when I arrived the team had lost seven games in a row. I know my face was new in the dressing room – my language as well – but it doesn’t take hours to put it right.”