Alun Armstrong believes he and his fellow Ipswich Town strikers should not shoulder responsibility for the Blues' lack of fire-power this season.

Town go into tonight's clash at Aston Villa five points adrift at the bottom of the table after Leicester's draw at Leeds yesterday.

But Armstrong said of the pressure on the frontrunners: "It's not as though we've been missing chances, so we're not overly worried.

"We've been working hard to put that right in training and seeing how we can create a few more chances.

"We're all in this together and it's great to have people battling for places in the team.

"Bearing that in mind, it's hard to explain what's gone wrong this season but I'm confident the lads will get out of it."

Ipswich have accumulated just nine points this season and won only once, against Derby at Portman Road. In 16 games they have scored just 14 goals.

"The lads are not down in the dumps, though," said Armstrong. "We know we have to work hard and that our luck is due to turn."

Ipswich will be looking to close the gap between themselves and 19th-placed Leicester when they travel to Villa Park tonight.

Midfielder Martijn Reuser added: "Confidence is the key for us and that's something we'll need in big quantities tonight."

Villa fans are planning a mass protest calling for chairman Doug Ellis to resign before tonight's televised clash.

Fans are again becoming increasingly disgruntled with Ellis' apparent reluctance to make money available to Gregory to strengthen his squad.

Published Monday December 17, 2001