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Sir Doug Ellis has said that he fancied Aston Villa to challenge for the top six – but have been let down by a horrendous injury list.

“We have had five or six consistently injured key players,” said Sir Doug.

“ Delph is one who has been missing for some time.

“That has contributed, no doubt, to our current position but, listen, it’s a New Year and hopefully that will change.

“it would be fantastic if we could beat Liverpool on Saturday.”

Sir Doug was Villa chairman from 1968-1975 and again from 1982-2006 when ill-health led him to sell the club.

By then he had appointed and sacked half of the managers in the club’s history.

But Sir Doug – who was nicknamed ‘Deadly’ – refused to call for the head of Paul Lambert.

“When I sold the club to Randy Lerner I made a promise that I would be there at any time if he wanted to call me and that I would not interfere,” he said.

“I must not give the wrong impression about how the club is being run.

“I have faith in Randy being a very good chairman who has put his money where his mouth is.

“So we have to let him let his people run the club.

“But am I worried about our position as any other supporter would be?

“Yes, because we are not in a very good position in plain English.”