Iain Dowie believes that Aston Villa could fall out of the Premier League by the end of the season.
The Midlands outfit have succumbed to defeat in their last four matches, and are without injured striker Christian Benteke for the remainder of the campaign.
This week, the club also suspended Paul Lambert's assistant manager Ian Culverhouse and head of football operations Gary Karsa.
"I really believe it is Villa down," Dowie told talkSPORT. "It is going to be very difficult for Paul. Ian Culverhouse did a lot of the coaching and now he isn't there.
"It will be something a little alien to Paul Lambert. I just wonder where the goals are going to come from."
Villa are currently four points above the relegation zone.