Stewart Downing hopes experienced players can keep Aston Villa in the Premier League

EPL ; Stewart Downing, Aston Villa v Fulham(Getty Images)

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Aston Villa midfielder Stewart Downing is hoping to use the pain and experience of relegation to help his team steer clear of the drop zone this season.

Villa have surprisingly been struggling all season and are one of eight or nine teams that could get relegated come May. Downing was also part of Middlesbrough’s team that was relegated to the Championship in 2009.

Downing, who is currently with the England squad, believes the team with the best mental strength will stay in the league at the end of the season.

“Personally, I have been in this situation before when I was at Middlesbrough so I know what it is like,” he told the club’s official website.

“But the majority of lads here have probably never been in that situation.

“The only thing you can do is go out and play, don’t be nervous and be confident because it is whoever has got the mental strength now that will pull through.

“There are eight teams with three points between them so it is going to be tough but I think we have the quality to get through and we’ll give it everything we’ve got.

“I’ve been there and done it so I know what we have to do.”

Downing believes the lack of experienced players at Middlesbrough led to their downfall in 2009 while his current Villa team-mates are experienced enough to keep them in the league.

He added: “We had a lot of inexperienced players in that team who were in their first season in the Premier League.

“I was one of the oldest players in that side and I was still only young then, whereas here you have got people who have been there and done it with the likes of Emile Heskey, Brad Friedel and Richard Dunne.

“They have all been around for a while and played at the top level so we have to rely on them and a few others to help the younger lads through.

“It is easy just to point and blame each other but we are better than that and we are strong enough to get through this.”