Remi Garde has pledged to stay in charge of Aston Villa if the club are relegated from the Premier League this season.

Villa are bottom at the halfway stage of the campaign and 11 points from safety having not won in 18 games since the opening day of the season.

An escape from the drop is highly unlikely and Garde insists that he will remain with the club, if they want him, should they be relegated to the second tier for the first time in 29 years.

When asked if he would stay on and get Villa back to the Premier League, Garde told reporters: "Yes - both answers are yes. I have got a very good feeling in my mind.

"In every football club there are some difficulties and problems. Of course I thought we would have won earlier, but I knew when you come to a club that has played 11 and lost nine you don't expect to find everything going well.

"If they are, you do not get the call to come in. I knew it would be difficult but now I am full of confidence for what we can achieve in this club."

Garde has drawn four and lost four of his eight matches since replacing Tim Sherwood in charge. His next chance to end the club's record 18-game league winless streak comes today when Villa travel to face the team four points above them in the table, Sunderland.