Aston Villa 1-2 Swansea: Andre Ayew steals spotlight away from brother Jordan with winner as Tim Sherwood's side lose again

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Tim Sherwood's prospects of surviving as Aston Villa manager look extremely bleak after his team's sixth Premier League defeat in a row was followed by a heated tunnel fracas between captain Micah Richards and Swansea defender Federico Fernandez.

Having taken the lead through Jordan Ayew, Villa were rocked by two late Swansea goals. Sherwood carried a haunted look afterwards and owner Randy Lerner now has to decide whether to swing the axe before Wednesday's Capital One Cup tie at Southampton.

Sherwood admitted he might have to turn his phone off to avoid hearing he's been sacked after eight months in the job. But he defiantly blamed the team's eighth defeat in 10 games on the strength of the squad, an alarming claim as Villa signed 13 new players in the summer. 

Andre Ayew bundles the ball home to give Swansea City the victory in the Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Saturday

Ayew pumps his chest after netting in the 87th minute to deny Villa their first home win of the season

Gylfi Sigurdsson curls a superlative free-kick over the Aston Villa wall to equalise for Swansea City at VIlla Park on Saturday

The playmaker wheels away in jubilation after Brad Guzan's despairing dive wasn't enough to keep out the second goal of the day

Tim Sherwood vents his frustration at Villa Park - the English boss is under pressure and Randy Lerner has a big decision to make

MATCH FACTS, RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE: 

 

ASTON VILLA (4-1-4-1): Guzan 6.5; Hutton 5.5, Richards 6, Lescott 5.5, Richardson 6; Bacuna 7; J. Ayew 6.5, Gana 6, Grealish 6 (Gil 74 6), Agbonlahor 6.5 (Traore 85); Gestede 6

Subs not used: Bunn (Gk), Westwood, Amavi, Sanchez, Crespo

Booked: Richards, Richardson

Goal: J. Ayew 62 

SWANSEA CITY (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 6; Naughton 6.5, Williams 6.5, Fernandez 5.5, Taylor 6; Sung-Yeung 6, Shelvey 6.5 (Cork 85); A. Ayew 7.5, Sigurdsson 6.5, Montero 6 (Barrow 76); Gomis 6 (Eder 90)

Subs not used: Nordfeldt (Gk), Britton, Rangel, Bartley

Booked: Naughton, Williams, Sigurdsson

Goals: Sigurdsson 68, A. Ayew 87 

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

Star man: Andre Ayew (Swansea)

Crowd: 33,324 

 

A near passing move led to Andre Ayew's winner for Swansea -Click HERE for full MATCH ZONE

'It is out of my control,' said Sherwood, when asked about his future. 'I will continue to do my best for the club. That is all I can do. I will work hard and make myself ill doing it. It's not an easy job but it is one I love and one I am not going to give up easily.

'We can't carry any players. We have to find a team that is going to play to a consistent level every single week otherwise we are not going to be able to win football matches because there is a lack of quality. We have to have more devil in us. It's not me that's in a hole, it's the club that is in a hole.

Asked about whether he was worried about receiving the call from Lerner or chief executive Tom Fox, he wrapped back: 'Just turn my phone off.' 

It was a painful interrogation for 46-year-old Sherwood to undergo. Should he survive, his next league game is against former club Spurs, and Swansea's Garry Monk, himself the subject of speculation about his future last week, has sympathy.

'It is a difficult job,' Monk said. 'You're flavour of the month one minute, then people who know nothing about football jump on the bandwagon. I feel sorry for Tim, he is an excellent coach and manager, it is the business we are in.' 

Villa havn't won since the opening weekend of the season and a lack of confidence was evident in the first half. The major talking point came when Leandro Bacuna wasted a free-kick but in the aftermath Richards and Fernandez clashed. 

Aston Villa captain Micah Richards squares up to Swansea defender Federico Fernandez on Saturday

Richards (right) was earlier incensed by an alleged headbutt from Swansea's No 33 during the match

The pair appeared to be involved in a heated tunnel bust-up as the two teams went in for half-time

Kieran Richardson (left) and Andre Ayew (right) compete for the ball during the Premier League clash

Villa youngster Jack Grealish goes down holding his right foot as the referee and Gabriel Agbonlahor speak to the midfielder

Richards was initially blocked off by the Swansea defender and as they locked foreheads, words were exchanged. Sherwood claimed afterwards Fernandez had headbutted his player.

'If the ref has seen it, he has to send him (Fernandez) off,' the Aston Villa manager said. 'He will probably get done retrospectively but it doesn't help us out. I think Micah was just upset someone stuck their head into his face.'

Richards didn't forget it either. After the final whistle, he looked for Fernandez again as they walked off. Inside the tunnel, team-mates and stewards jumped in to stop the fracas from getting out of hand and the outside cover of the tunnel was seen to shake and move because of the impact. Referee Neil Swarbrick was aware of the fracas and will mention it in his report. 

After an hour, some decent football broke out with the Ayew brothers lined up on opposite sides taking centre-stage.

Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan made an excellent save from Swansea's Andre and, within 60 seconds, Jordan Ayew – at 24 the younger sibling by a year - put his side ahead with a stooping header fromn Gabriel Agbonlahor's cross.

The roof lifted off Villa Park but the optimism proved short-lived. After 68 minutes Richards was penalised for a foul on Gylfi Sigurdsson and the Icelander curled home the resulting free-kick from 25 yards.

'I knew he'd score, I've seen it a million times before at the Tottenham training ground,' said Sherwood about his former player.

With three minutes left, Villa collapsed again. Kyle Naughton crossed from the right and Andre Ayew nipped ahead of Alan Hutton to score. 'Too easy,' said Sherwood. 

Ghanian brothers Andre and Jordan Ayew mark each other at corner during the Premier League clash on Saturday

Aston Villa's Rudy Gestede gets his head on the ball to flick it on ahead of Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng

Swansea defender Kyle Naughton gets in the middle of Micah Richards (right) and Ashley Williams (left) as the duo argue 

Wales centre back Williams appears to grab Richards as striker Rudy Gestede attempts to pull the pair apart

Young Swansea manager Garry Monk and Sherwood offer words of encouragement for their players at Villa Park

Ayew seems to suggest to referee Neil Swarbrick that an elbow was used in a challenge during the first-half

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor watches on as his shot drifts wide of Lukasz Fabianski's goal following a neat one-two

Ayew was a free transfer from Marseille in the summer and after five goals already this season, looks one of the biggest Premier League bargains there has been.

'I didn't think he'd come to us because I know a lot of top European clubs were interested,' said Monk. 'He is a great player and character, a real leader for us.'

Villa could be bottom of the table at the close of the weekend should Sunderland pick up a result against Newcastle United.

It's a terrible time for England's premier club from the second city. 

Ayew was denied by Guzan for Swansea moments before his brother Jordan gave the hosts the lead at Villa Park

Jordan Ayew is congratulated by team-mate Rudy Gestede following his header to give the hosts the lead at Villa Park

Jordan ducks down to divert a diving header into the bottom corner as Villa netted the opening goal of the game

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood celebrates after Aston Villa took the lead six minutes before Sigurdsson's stunning strike

Sigurdsson celebrates after his free-kick brought Swansea back into the game at 1-1 in Birmingham on Saturday

The fans were relatively restrained at the end but you could still hear some boos. Defender Joleon Lescott came in for some stick from fans. He was a Sherwood pick but others signings were selected by sporting director Hendrik Almstadt.

It looks like a hotch-potch of a football club and the performances and results are proving it.

'I speak to Tom – he has said nothing regarding my job,' said Sherwood. He better hope it stays that way but it looks increasingly unlikely.

Bafetimbi Gomis and Ki run over to congratulate Andre Ayew after his late winner at Villa Park

Former owner of Aston Villa Doug Ellis is assisted to his seat prior to the Barclays Premier League match