Aston Villa first team coach Gordon Cowans has implored the players to steer clear of a potential relegation battle for ill captain Stiliyan Petrov.
The Bulgarian is currently undergoing treatment for leukaemia and Cowans feels that should be enough motivation for the Villa team, six points out if the mire, to push further clear of the drop zone.
"It is a massive week for the club with a big game coming up at the weekend against Sunderland and next Tuesday's meeting with Bolton.""What we really need to try for Stiliyan is get ourselves out of the mess we are in at the moment," said Cowans.
