Aston Villa captain Ron Vlaar admits Fabian Delph's absence has hurt them in recent weeks.
The Dutch international defender is anxious to avoid another survival scrap as he sympathises with the frustrations of supporters.
"Fabian Delph had been doing a superb job in midfield before he injured his shoulder in training," said Vlaar.
"He had deservedly broken into the England team and was enjoying the best period of his career, so it's quite a setback that we now have to cope without him for a while."
