'Concerned' Houllier to buy

Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier admits the club are concerned at their lowly position but expects dive into the transfer market this January.

Villa went down 1-0 at home to high-flying Sunderland, dropping Houllier's side into the relegation zone, where they haven't been since 2002.

Houllier appears to be walking a tightrope at Villa Park, having won just one of their last nine matches, and the Frenchman admits there is cause for concern.

But a Villa statement issued to Sky Sports News on Thursday said that Houllier's job is safe.

"Everybody's concerned at the club. But hopefully, we'll get one or two player in January and things will perk up," Houllier told Front News.

When asked if he felt his position was under threat, Houllier replied: "I'm not the one to decide, all I can say is that I have the backing of the chairman and the chief executive, whatever happens."

The full-time whistle was greeted with boos from the home support, who saw striker Emile Heskey dismissed in the second half after he raised a hand to Sunderland's Jordan Henderson.

"I can understand their reaction, had we won 1-0 it would have been a different reaction," Houllier stated.