BRAD Friedel has echoed his manager Gerard Houllier’s views by saying Aston Villa have eight cup finals ahead of them.

The veteran goalkeeper is determined to stay in the Premier League and, like the rest of the team, the former Blackburn star feels there is enough quality at the club to ensure they beat the drop.

After 14 years in the English top flight Friedel has never suffered relegation to the second tier and he has no plans to blot his CV so late in his career.

“We’ve got eight cup finals ahead of us,” he said.

“But we’ve got enough quality in the changing room and we’re confident of getting the points on the board to stay in the Premier League.

“It’s a shame we’re in the position we’re in. ‘But I can assure the fans we’re all pulling together as one.

“We’re going to be taking these games incredibly seriously. We’re determined to get enough points on the board to ensure our top-flight safety.

“In the summer we can have a look at the things that went right and wrong and we’ll try and correct them next season.

‘‘We’re going to do nothing more than fight for Premier League survival.”

Friedel, who turns 40 next month, has yet to agree an extension to his current deal which expires at the end of the season.

Thoughts of playing in the Championship in claret and blue have not even crossed his mind, though, as he focusses on the task at hand.

Despite there being a large number of teams in the relegation mix, the USA stopper insists Villa will be looking to take care of themselves in the remaining games.

Although he admits it will be difficult not to check out the results of other sides pushing for progress.

“You try and concentrate on your own results, but it’s impossible not to look at the other results,” he said.

“It’s much easier to look at other results when you’ve got three points under your belt.

“This weekend we’ve got a difficult game at Goodison Park but we’re going to try and get the three points.”