Former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton has rallied in support of under-fire manager Tim Sherwood, claiming that dismissing him would be "absolutely ridiculous".
The former Tottenham Hotspur coach helped the West Midlands side survive in the Premier League last season, but five straight league defeats during the current campaign have seen them slump to 18th place.
In a BBC Sport column, Sutton wrote: "If [Sherwood] does become the next Premier League manager to lose his job, it would not just be unfair, it would be absolutely ridiculous.
"You have to take into consideration that he lost his two best players over the summer in Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph, and realise he is trying to build a new team with all the signings that Villa have made.
"A settled system and some continuity is what Villa need at the moment. Tim knows that and, if he is given the chance, I am confident he will get it right."
Sherwood, who also led Villa to the FA Cup final last season, replaced Paul Lambert in February.
