Dean Smith: Aston Villa will turn around poor form

Villa were booed off after going down 4-1 at home to West Ham and sit 15th in the table just three points above the bottom three.

Smith, who dropped skipper Tyrone Mings from the starting XI, now finds himself under increasing scrutiny ahead of Friday’s trip to Southampton.

Asked if he had a message for concerned supporters, he replied: "We have a squad capable of doing better than we are. There are reasons why we've had the results we've had.

"We've had some injuries but the perception inside the football club is very different to what it is at Bodymoor Heath.

“The players have a great belief in what they're doing and what we're doing. We will turn this around and get better. I'm confident (we'll turn this around), of course."

Villa found themselves trailing 2-1 at the break after Ben Johnson and Declan Rice scored either side of Ollie Watkins’ equaliser.

Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen then netted after Konsa saw red following a VAR review.

The defender was deemed to have denied Bowen a goalscoring opportunity.

Smith said: “I didn’t think it was a red card and I don’t know the process they are going through with VAR.

“They have given it for denying a clear scoring opportunity. The referee on the pitch has made his decision, is it a clear and obvious error? Is he clean through on goal? No, I think it is questionable.”