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Charles N’Zogbia is staying behind for extra training at the request of Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood in an attempt to shape up for the survival scrap.

Sherwood insists N’Zogbia’s critics are wrong to “rubbish” him and the new boss tipped the former Wigan winger to get even better as he gets fitter.

N’Zogbia has been welcomed back into the first team frame since Sherwood took charge and was in impressive form during the FA Cup win over West Bromwich Albion.

Sherwood revealed that he has asked N’Zogbia to get into prime condition and has been impressed with the response so far from the former Wigan winger.

“He’s done well,” he said.

“I spoke to Charles after the Newcastle game and I just said to him ‘I’ve got a long memory’. I know how good he was in the team at Wigan.

“I know what he possesses and I know how scared managers are when he’s playing.

"If he gets himself flying he can be anything he wants to be. I really mean that. He needs to keep getting himself fit.

"I told him he needs to be a little bit fitter and he needs go do a little bit extra than the other players and he said ‘no problem’.”

N’Zogbia, who is contracted to Villa until summer 2016, hopes to get a new lease of life under Sherwood after repeatedly failing to impress former boss Paul Lambert.

Asked what additional work, N’Zogbia is doing, Sherwood joked: “He’s in the sauna just sitting down! No, he’s doing running, he’s on the bench, he’s a grafter.

“So I’m seeing him going to get a clean kit after training, do his little bit extra. He gets rewarded for that, as will anyone who wants to go and prove to me that they’re willing to go and pick up the baton and take on the fight like Charles N’Zogbia.

“He knows, I’ve told him straight, get yourself fit and you’re one of the best players we’ve got in the team. who can affect a football match.”

Check out our gallery of Charles N'Zogbia's time at Aston Villa

Sherwood likened N’Zogbia to Emmanuel Adebayor in the way he attracts undue flak and compared him to Andros Townsend for his willingness to take on opponents even if he risks losing the ball.

“He’s similar to Adebayor,” said Sherwood. “They want to rubbish them all the time. I’ve never had a problem with Adebayor or Charles N’Zogbia.

“I don’t know who’s been rubbishing him, but I’ve heard and I’ve come here ‘oh he won’t do that, he’ll let you down’.

“I’ll take him at face value and he hasn’t let me down yet. I think he’s got goals in him. I know Charlie and I’ve watched footage of him just last week of him playing at Wigan.

“He nearly kept them up single handedly one year with the goals he was scoring in the relegation fight.

"When others buckle, he won’t. I used Andros Townsend as an example the other day.

"He’ll run the ball into the full-back 10 times, the 11th time he’ll win you the game because he is single minded and focused.

“The biggest attribute that he’s got is that he will go and play in front of anyone and he will do his best. He’s got no qualms about the crowd being a little bit edgy, he just gets on with it.

"He was great on Saturday. He will continue to improve. and he’ll be better than that. It’s been injuries and being left out.”