LONDON (SE) - Only a catastrophic and unlikely turn of events Sunday would condemn Aston Villa to the Championship as they visit Carrow Road to face Norwich City on the final day of the Premier League season.
Alex McLeish's side sit in 16th place on 38 points. The only way Villa could go down is with a loss to Norwich, a victory for Queens Park Rangers at leaders Manchester City and a win for Bolton Wanderers at Stoke City with the Trotters overhauling a plus-17 goal difference edge for the Villans.
With such a ridiculous scenario unlikely to transpire, McLeish expressed relief after last Sunday's 1-1 draw against 10-man Tottenham Hotspur that gave Villa the point they needed to ensure their 24th straight Premier League season despite being outshot 21-4.
"Relief is probably the emotion I have right now," McLeish told Villa's official website. "Saying that we have another game and we have to prepare properly and try to win."
Villa's injury list through the course of the campaign has included Marc Albrighton (thigh), Ciaran Clark (knee), Darren Bent (ankle), Richard Dunne (collar bone) and Fabien Delph (ankle), with Stilyan Petrov being diagnosed with acute leukaemia.
"Overall, it's been a tough season, as tough as I've had," McLeish said. "I knew the challenge I was taking on. But going through it is always different from what people tell you. You have to experience it.
"I have stood up in the face of adversity all season. I am proud to be intact and not thrown myself off a bridge or something."
With Villa supporters calling for his exit, McLeish insists he will be back. His side are winless in nine matches, with one victory in their last 15.
Norwich City are currently in 13th place and can finish anywhere from 11th to 14th. The Canaries have been safe for weeks now and enter with three defeats and one draw in their last four.
The draw was last Saturday's 3-3 thriller against Arsenal at the Emirates as Wesley Hoolohan, Simeon Jackson and Grant Holt were all on target.
"It sums up what we're about," manager Paul Lambert told Norwich City's official website. "A lot of people have questioned us over the last few games for taking our foot off the pedal, but after going down to an early goal, the spirit we showed was there for all to see."
The Canaries have shipped 19 goals over their last seven matches, and have kept a Premier League-low two clean sheets.
"It was probably a great game for the neutral, but maybe not so much for us as we conceded three, but when you're up against a quality team like Arsenal then it's never going to be an easy day," goalkeeper John Ruddy said.
Aston Villa have won three and drawn four in their last seven against Norwich. Bent had a brace sandwiched around a goal by Gabriel Agbonlahor in a 3-2 win at Villa Park in the reverse fixture Nov. 5.
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