Aston Villa: No-one will enjoy playing us says Tim Sherwood

Aston Villa will be a tough side for Premier League opponents to face as they battle to avoid a first relegation since 1987, says boss Tim Sherwood.

Villa moved up to 16th in the table, three points above third-bottom QPR, after battling back to earn a 3-3 draw against the London side.

"No-one will enjoy playing Aston Villa on that performance," said Sherwood, whose team have six games left.

"I'm very confident that I will be able to keep Villa up."

Villa striker Christian Benteke's late free-kick completed his hat-trick and salvaged what could prove to be a vital point as Sherwood's side prevented QPR overtaking them with a win at Villa Park.

Sherwood, 46, returns to former club Tottenham, who are chasing European qualification, in Villa's next top-flight match on Saturday.

Villa then go to Champions League-chasing Manchester City, before successive home matches against mid-table sides Everton and West Ham.

Southampton, another club with European ambitions, host Villa in their final away game, ahead of Burnley's trip to Villa Park - a potentially-decisive game in the relegation battle - on the final day of the season.

"We have a realistic chance of beating Tottenham," added Sherwood, who left White Hart Lane last summer before being appointed by Villa in February.

"It might be a very important point against QPR. Only time will tell, but we need to win games. It is a point in the right direction, though.

"The spirit is there, the fans were magnificent again and the players gave them a performance. I could not fault it.

"QPR took every chance they had and that is the way it is going for us at the moment."

QPR led with 13 minutes left to play following an early header by Scotland winger Matt Phillips plus second-half goals from veteran defender Clint Hill and top scorer Charlie Austin.

But the draw meant the west London side have taken four points from two away matches over the Easter period, following a 4-1 win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

"If you looked before the fixtures, would we have taken four points? We probably would have," said QPR boss Chris Ramsey.

"What's heartening for us is that we've performed really well. We've shown that we do have the ability to survive."

"I don't know what we need but we're probably going to have to get wins."