text: Tim Sherwood has urged Aston Villa to man up as he labelled their clash with relegation rivals QPR the club's 'biggest game' for years. They host Rangers on Tuesday with Sherwood admitting he does not have the players to grind out results. Victory would move Villa five points clear of the Barclays Premier League drop zone but they will return to the bottom three if QPR, three points behind with a better goal difference, win. And Sherwood underlined the magnitude of the game ahead of the showdown. Tim Sherwood (from left to right), Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey during their time at White Hart Lane . Sherwood (right) sits on the bench with Tottenham Hotspur staff Ferdinand (centre) and Ramsey (left) Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates his goal by saluting Sherwood (right) and Ramsey (centre) 'I think this is the biggest game that a lot of these players have ever played for this football club,' he said, with Villa in 17th. 'This is without doubt the biggest game of the season for Villa and possibly one of the biggest in a number of years. 'This is the biggest (of my managerial career).' But the boss believes he must instil a different mentality into his players as he tries to keep them in the top flight. 'We've got different types of players, you look through QPR's side and they've got a lot of players who are men - with a lot of experience in there,' he said. 'We've got a few men in there - but we've got a lot of pretty much icing-on-the-cake players and I'm trying to get that mentality into them to forget about digging out results. It's not what we're cut out to do. 'I haven't identified many players who can't cope with the pressure, but you don't know until they get out there.' Sherwood is without Alan Hutton, Ashley Westwood and Scott Sinclair while Tom Cleverley, Kieran Richardson and Aly Cissokho are doubts. Sherwood faces his friend and former Tottenham assistant, QPR boss Chris Ramsey, for the first time since they both left Spurs last summer. Sherwood and Ramsey forged their friendship at Tottenham and remain close ahead of their showdown . The bond between the two remains strong even if Sherwood is blocking Ramsey's mobile phone calls for now . Sherwood hinted that if Ramsey's tenure at Loftus Road ends, then he would ask to bring him to Villa Park . Ramsey has admitted his job at Rangers could be under threat if they get relegated and, while he admitted Ramsey may prefer to be a manager, Sherwood left the door open for a reunion at Villa. He added: 'If there was ever an opportunity for me to work with him again I would do that. 'I would have to speak to the club about whether we could find a role for him here. 'Listen, I know I am biased - he has been good for me and I have been good for him. But he is up there with the very best coaches I have ever seen.' Ramsey pictured on the touchline during a QPR match as he tries to save the club from relegation . Ramsey must put his friendship with Sherwood on ice for the time being as he tries to see off his pal's team . Ramsey still lives in Bedfordshire - a short drive from Sherwood's imposing house in Buckinghamshire .
target: Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood faces Chris Ramsey's QPR on Tuesday .
  Both clubs are fighting relegation from the Premier League this season .
  Sherwood and Ramsey will put their friendship aside when they meet .
  Villa boss says this is the biggest game of his managerial career .
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