Black: Villa will bounce back

Cape Town - Aston Villa caretaker coach Eric Black claims they will be a real force in the Championship next season and return to the Premier League stronger than ever.

The Villans are all but certain to be relegated to the second tier of English football - with 10 losses in their last 11 games they remain rooted to the foot of the table on 16 points.

Their impending relegation will mark the first time the west Midlands outfit play outside the top flight in 27 years, but Black believes the future of the club is not in danger as they will be the 'Manchester United' of the Championship.

"Aston Villa now will be like Manchester United if they go into the Championship and go to Rotherham, or wherever," Black told the Birmingham Mail.

"Without a doubt it will be one of the top clubs in that division but there is an awful lot of hard work required, not only between now and July 1 but throughout next season to keep it in the right direction.

"But it’s a fantastic football club and it’s a huge football club and I'm sure the club will take the right steps to get it back where it should be."