Di Matteo denies he has two games to save his job

ASTON Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo insists he has not been set a time-frame to turn around the club’s fortunes.

The Italian was left bitterly frustrated after another late throwaway saw Villa drop another two points from a winning position when Barnsley scored a last-minute equaliser in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Oakwell.

While admitting the pressure is rising with every passing week, Di Matteo remained defiant when asked about his position as boss.

Responding to the question: “Is there any substance to the newspaper reports that suggest you have two games to save your job,” he replied: “Not as far as I know, there is absolutely no indication at all.”

The stalemate at Barnsley was as disappointing as yet another draw this season.

Jordan Ayew fired Villa ahead but an 89th-minute equaliser from Sam Winnall gave the hosts a share of the spoils.

“We have drawn too many games we should have won,” admitted Di Matteo. “Every game you don’t win adds more pressure on to us.

“We have done it ourselves. We have put ourselves in this situation.

“That little margin that is between winning and drawing is still there. We need to get over it.”

Di Matteo admitted he remains in regular contact with owner Tony Xia but played down talk that his future was on the line.

“We are in touch and I think we’re all disappointed,” he said. So what does he do next? “You try to analyse it. You try to find a way to win the games. I thought the team battled hard in the first and second half.

“We created so many chances but we need to be more clinical.

“There were some excellent chances to score the second and third goal but we couldn’t manage it.”