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Tim Sherwood has to win one of his next two matches for Aston Villa - or he will be sacked.

That’s the message which has been handed down to the club’s boss after Villa’s awful start to the new Premier League campaign.

Sherwood is up against it just seven months after taking charge at Villa Park and needs to turn the situation around quickly - or he’ll pay by losing his job - with Brendan Rodgers high on the list of possible replacements.

Villa owner Randy Lerner is becoming increasingly jumpy at the prospect of losing out on the new television money and so the former Spurs’ boss will not be cut the same slack as his predecessor, Paul Lambert.

The Birmingham club has won just once in the league this season - beating Bournemouth thanks to Rudy Gestede’s header on the opening day.

In pictures: Aston Villa 0-1 Stoke

But since then they have failed to beat a string of clubs who are likely to be in and around them in the bottom half of the table.

And that has caused the hierarchy to look at the situation ahead of fixtures against Chelsea and Swansea City.

Villa travel to Stamford Bridge next week. With Jose Mourinho too having his back against the wall, victory for either club could mark the beginning of the end for the losing boss.

Sherwood will receive another chance. But if Villa fail in front of their own fans against the Swans, the manager will be out of the door.

The former European Cup winners boast a chief executive in Tom Fox who is also new to the job and he will not want to be seen overseeing relegation during his first full season at the club.

(Image: Neville Williams)

Sherwood initially covered himself in glory at the club, arresting an alarming slide and preventing the Midlanders from falling into the Championship following Lambert’s shambolic three-year reign.

He even had the chance to write himself into club folklore with an appearance in the FA Cup final against Arsenal.

However, that date ended in a thumping four-goal victory for the Gunners and the sales of striker Christian Benteke to Liverpool and midfielder Fabian Delph to Manchester City have prompted a huge turnover of players.

Villa have spent £54.5m during the close season importing fresh talent - mainly from France - but this has so far failed to pay off.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Boyers)

Sherwood himself is coming under increasing fire from his supporters for his tactics - a fact highlighted when Villa tossed away a two-goal lead following his substitutions at Leicester City.

Moreover, there are also a number of high-profile bosses who are out of work.

Villa will have a decent choice but much will depend on the recommendations of director of recruitment, Paddy Reilly.

And the former analyst, who was first surfaced at Villa during Martin O’Neill’s reign, will place great store in Rodgers who he worked for during a spell on Merseyside.