Andre Ayew scored a late winner for Swansea to pile more pressure on Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood.

The midfielder side-footed in a Kyle Naughton cross to give Swansea a first win in six games.

Andre’s brother Jordan had given Villa the lead with a stooping header before Gylfi Sigurdsson curled in a 25-yard free-kick to level.

Villa’s sixth straight defeat sees them remain second bottom of the Premier League, four points from safety.

Home defender Joleon Lescott had a chance to equalise late on when he found space at a corner but hooked a shot over.

*What now for Sherwood?*

Sherwood, whose team have won only once all season, had likened this game to a cup final in the build-up.

The club’s hierarchy were also reportedly looking at the games against Chelsea and Swansea to judge the side - Villa have lost both.

They survived a Swansea chance when Federico Fernandez skied a shot from close range as both sides struggled to stamp any kind of authority on the game.

Fernandez was involved in a clash with Villa centre-back Micah Richards before the latter was also involved in a heated exchange with Swansea skipper Ashley Williams when he attempted to intervene.

Jordan Ayew gave Villa hope with his first goal for the club but the hosts led for only six minutes.

*Andre wins family battle*

There was a family affair with Jordan and Andre Ayew on opposing sides and both midfielders played a key part for their sides.

The pair played against each other in the French league last season and Jordan’s team won on that occasion, but this time their fortunes were reversed.

Andre should have put the visitors in front when he was played through on goal by Bafetimbi Gomis only for his shot to be saved by on-rushing keeper Brad Guzan

Villa counter-attacked from the resulting corner, with Jordan nodding in Gabriel Agbonlahor’s cross.

However, Swansea responded impressively and Andre atoned for his earlier miss as he scored the winner from six yards after a dangerous low cross by Naughton.

“We are unlucky and we have a lot of new players,” said Jordan. “Every week we are getting better and we have to continue to do that.

“We are always behind the manager. He is behind us and we are all together and there is no problem.”

On Andre, he added: “We are family, there is no problem.”
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*BBC Sport*
Sunday, 25 October 2015

*Tim Sherwood: Aston Villa manager sacked after eight months*

Aston Villa have sacked manager Tim Sherwood after eight months in charge.

Villa are bottom of the Premier League following a 2-1 defeat by Swansea - the club’s sixth straight league loss.

The club said in a statement: “The board believes the results on the pitch were simply not good enough and that a change is imperative.”

Former Lyon manager Remi Garde, 49, has also been linked with the job, with French TV station Canal Plus - who employ him as a pundit - reporting he is in advanced talks with Villa.

Under-21 manager Kevin MacDonald has been placed in interim charge.

The club are expected to speak to a number of potential replacements, and an announcement may not be made until after next week.

Appointed in February to replace Paul Lambert, Sherwood reached the FA Cup final and led the club to a 17th-placed finish in his first season in charge, but has won one of ten league matches this term.

Villa have not won since the opening day and are four points from safety.

Sherwood has overseen just 28 games in all competitions - the shortest spell of any permanent Villa manager.

The club’s statement offered Sherwood “sincere thanks for all his efforts during a difficult period last season and for the many positive contributions he has made to the entire football set-up”.

After the defeat to Swansea, Sherwood evaded questions about his future saying when asked whether he would be in the job next week that he was “not the person to ask”. He added: “I feel like the club is in a hole. At the moment we are short.”