Scott Hogan calls on Aston Villa to stay cool for Championship run-in

Back-to-back wins - including a thumping 5-0 victory over Bristol City on New Year’s Day - have cut the gap between Steve Bruce’s men and second-placed Derby to five points.

And Hogan, who bagged his first goal of the league season in the rout of the Robins, said: “That gap is nothing.

“We have just picked up six points in three days, so five is nothing. Hopefully we can reel in those teams above us. We still have to play most of them.”

A five-game winless run, prior to last Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough, had briefly seen Villa fall out of the top six and increased the pressure on Bruce.

But Hogan insists the dressing room mood remained calm and believes it is imperative players continue to keep their emotions in check, during a run-in which is likely to contain numerous ups and downs.

“We are always going to be criticised because we are Aston Villa and we are expected to win. Rightly so,” he said.

“It is just about keeping control of emotions and staying on it. We have some real quality in the dressing room.

“It is about getting it together and keeping going. We have some big leaders who tell us to keep our head straight and tell us not to worry.

“That is the biggest thing. As long as we don’t worry, that is fine. Fans pay the money, they can say what they like, they deserve to do that.

“We have to separate ourselves from it, keep our focus on the road ahead. We know where we want to go and I think we are well on the way to getting there.”

Villa host League One Peterborough in the FA Cup third round this weekend, before returning to Championship action at Nottingham Forest on Saturday week.

“We are expected to win every week and with the players we have got, we should do. But the Championship is not that easy,” added Hogan.

“I have been in and around it for two or three years now and it is crazy how much it can change in a couple of weeks.

“You just have to keep picking up as many points as you can and by the end of the season you will find yourself where you deserve to be.

“I think we are where we deserve to be right now. We had a couple of bad performances, so we are where we are on merit.

“Hopefully with the players coming back in the next few weeks we will be able to kick on.”