Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has called on his players to turn draws into wins as they look to close the gap on the top six - starting tonight at former club Brentford.

No side in the Championship has drawn more games than Villa's 14, with seven of those coming in the last 11 games.

Whilst the latest draw was certainly a point gained as they remarkably came from 3-0 down with ten minutes to go against Sheffield United, ultimately they lost ground once again on their rivals.

And, Smith told the Express & Star that it's about picking up three points as we approach a crucial stage of the season.

"We want to win games. We know how important it is to propel us up the league and keep us in the play-off picture.

"Friday night was another unbeaten game. That is just two defeats in 16 now. But we need to start turning these draws into wins."

The West Midlands side are currently seven points behind sixth-placed Boro and Tony Pulis' side also have a game in hand.

Therefore, Smith will be desperate for his side to string a few wins together with crucial games against the Bees and local rivals West Brom coming up.

The Verdict

Villa's season is reaching a critical point and they simply have to start getting regular wins or the gap will be too much for them to make up.

So, Smith's message is bang on and the players will recognise the importance of a victory tonight.

They have some tough games coming up though so it's going to be a real challenge but they do have a quality squad.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.