Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has said that Remi Garde "will have to produce one of the best managerial acts in Premier League history" to keep Aston Villa up this season.

The Frenchman was appointed as the new Villa boss at the beginning of the week, and with the Midlands side currently sitting bottom of the Premier League table with four points from 11 games, Carragher thinks that Garde's task is an unenviable one.

The ex-Reds centre-back told the Daily Mail: "Remi Garde will take his place in the dugout against the best team in the country right now, Manchester City. He will have to produce one of the best managerial acts in Premier League history to keep Villa up.

"This is not a side who were dragged down by a former manager, it is a poor group of players at a club who have seen Martin O'Neill, Gerard Houllier, Alex McLeish, Paul Lambert and Tim Sherwood come and go in just a few years, which shows where the problems lie. Where does Garde start with Villa? The attack or defence?

"The problems are at both ends and whereas before you could see hope for them because of Christian Benteke's goals, you now see nothing that makes you believe they can stay up. Owner Randy Lerner and the board will have to hope the new man can instil that belief in the players and especially the summer recruits."

Garde replaces Sherwood at the helm at Villa Park, who was sacked after just over six months in charge.