Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier remains a man under pressure despite his side avoiding a potential FA Cup third round banana skin with a 3-1 victory at Championship side Sheffield United.

Villa landed in the relegation zone after their 1-0 home defeat to high-flying Sunderland last week. And the Frenchman was among a number of EPL managers earmarked by the UK media for the sack in the days after the match.

But the 63-year-old has avoided the fate of Liverpool’s Roy Hodgson. Sources inside the club have been quoted by the BBC as saying that the club remain “totally” supportive of Houllier, and that he will be “given time to turn around Villa’s fortunes.”

 

And Houllier has been directly involved with some of the club’s ambitious plans for the January transfer window.

Houllier admitted that Villa were in a “relegation fight,” while maintaining his belief that he has the “firm support” of American club owner Randy Lerner.

He said: “We are in a relegation fight now. We’re going through a difficult period but we’ll make it.

“I spoke to Paul Faulkner (Villa’s chief executive) and he was very supportive. I don’t doubt Randy Lerner’s firm support and determination. We are in this together, for better or worse.

Reports have emerged this week that Villa could take French striker Karim Benzema on loan from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old French international, who scored against England at Wembley last November, has been an irregular starter at the Bernabeu, although he has been both playing and scoring more regularly recently, with first-choice striker Gonzalo Higuain out injured.

And, according to the Mirror newspaper, Benzema has told Houllier that he is willing to join his former boss at French club Olympique Lyonnais, where Benzema established the reputation which won him a £30m move to Madrid in the summer of 2009.

Villa have also been linked with Jean Makoun, a midfielder with Lyon, and Blackpool’s much sought-after midfielder Charlie Adam.

The club’s £3.5m bid for the 25-year-old Adam was described in typically understated fashion by Blackpool boss Ian Holloway as “absolutely disgraceful.” And Houllier flew to France this week to arrange a £6m deal for the 27-year-old Cameroonian Makoun.

Villa face a midday trip to arch city rivals Birmingham in the EPL this Sunday. And Houllier is hopeful Makoun will be available.

The Blues are three places but just one point ahead of Villa.