We must stick together: Houllier

Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier was left pleading for patience from fans following a 1-0 defeat at home to Wolves.

The Villa faithful vented their frustrations during Saturday’s English Premier League reverse, demanding the removal of Frenchman Houllier.

The former Liverpool and Lyon manager acknowledged the cause of discontent, but asked for the crowd to back the team as they battle to preserve their top-flight status.

“I shared the fans’ frustrations,” Houllier said. “They are not happy with me and I’m not happy with what we are doing at the moment.”

“This is what happens when you don’t get the results. You have to live with that.”

“The hostility was not something I have really faced before. It is completely new but I can live with that.”

“The fans need to support the team. What we want is the fans to back the team and at the moment we are going through a difficult period. The season has gone that way.”

The latest defeat left Villa just one point clear of the relegation zone, but Houllier insists the team have enough quality to escape the drop.

“I think we will do it,” he said. “I am convinced we have everything it takes.”

“We have quality in the team but at the moment it just doesn’t go our way.”

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy credited his players with earning a vital three points away to their local rivals.

“It is a deserved victory,” McCarthy said. “I know they hit the bar but overall we dominated the game. It was a worthy victory.”

“You didn’t have to be the brightest light on the Christmas tree to recognise there was some tension amongst the crowd.”

“I don’t like to hear any manager get hostility towards them but I would prefer it to be him or 18 other managers rather than me.”