Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has admitted that Wigan Athletic were better on the ball and off the ball, as his side lost 3-0 to the Latics on Saturday afternoon.

The Villans were looking to make it only two wins in seven league games with a trip to the struggling Latics, and close the five point gap between themselves and the play-off positions.

But not for the first time away from home this season, Smith's men just couldn't get out of first gear, and put in yet another lacklustre performance despite being backed by a healthy travelling contingent.

Gary Roberts put the Latics ahead in the first-half, before two goals in quick succession from Michael Jacobs and Joe Garner secured an invaluable three points for Paul Cook's men.

"I said that I came to Aston Villa because results weren't going our way, and that it's my job to get results. We came in and hit the ground running - but from the performances against the likes of West Brom, Middlesbrough and Derby County – we were a million miles away from that." Smith told the club's official website.

"I'll go back to the drawing board and have a look myself. I don't think tactically there was too much wrong. We just weren't good enough on the ball - they out ran us, too, and that's disappointing."

The result at the DW Stadium keeps Villa five points off the play-off positions, but they have now slipped to 12th in the Sky Bet Championship table, after just one win in seven games.

They now face Hull City and Ipswich Town at Villa Park in their next two games.

The Verdict

I fully expected Villa to find it tough at the DW Stadium.

They have been far from convincing away from home this season under both Dean Smith and Steve Bruce, and it needs to change urgently if they are to clinch what now seems an unlikely play-off finish.

Their defence still looks shaky and they don't look all convincing going forward anymore. They have hit a slump which they desperately need to get out of.