RUMOURS that a psychiatrist’s sofa is being installed on the team bus heading for Villa Park might be wide of the mark – but Phil Parkinson has had to play mind games during the club’s current drought.

Everywhere you turn there is a different ominous omen or unwanted statistic for the Whites to deal with but Parkinson is confident his players can find an answer sooner rather than later to help lift the gloom.

Wanderers expect no surprises from Steve Bruce’s Villa, who have established a team shape which works and helped them move handily into eight place on the back of seven games unbeaten.

And that has helped Parkinson keep his players focussed between Tuesday’s long trip to Bristol and another dart down the M6 yesterday afternoon.

“I’m being a psychologist for me, the players, my staff, because it has been very, very difficult,” he told The Bolton News.

“We can only concentrate on what we do on a game-to-game basis, it’s all we can do.

“We know how Villa are going to play, so that’s an advantage. So what a great place to go and get a result.

“Everyone will be expecting them to continue their great run but we might just surprise some people.”

Parkinson has got one good omen on his side in the Midlands, having taken his Bradford City side there four years ago to beat Villa in the League Cup semi-final.