Blackpool manager Ian Holloway 'ready to snarl' in relegation fight

Holloway finds his team in the relegation zone for the first time this season (GETTY IMAGES)

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway told his side it was time to start all over again after they slipped into the Barclays Premier League relegation zone for the first time this season with a 3-1 home defeat against Wigan.

The Seasiders fell behind in just the third minute at Bloomfield Road when Hugo Rodallega slotted through Matt Gilks' legs, and Charles N'Zogbia made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time.

Mohamed Diame sent in a third for the visitors via a deflection off Neal Eardley midway through the second period, rendering DJ Campbell's late reply a mere consolation.

The win lifted Wigan above their opponents and into to 17th, leaving Holloway "just about ready to snarl".

"We have to start again now, because you are not given anything in life - you have to take it," he said.

"This suits us now. We are like a wounded animal and we know we are the dirtiest in the dog zone and we have to come out fighting for every scrap that is left.

"We should be the hungriest dog left in this and we have some scrapping and fighting to do. I am just about ready to snarl."

West Ham are also in the drop zone after they lost 2-1 to Aston Villa, making them one of five teams at the bottom separated by just three points with five games to play.

The Hammers took the lead inside two minutes with a strike from Robbie Keane but Villa wrestled back control with Darren Bent's header shortly before the interval, then won it in stoppage time through Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The Hammers' next two appointments are away at Chelsea and Manchester City.

Boss Avram Grant said: "I think we need nine points more or less to stay in the league.

"We don't have any intention to give up. We will fight.

"We have won against big teams this season so we can do it."

Also in that group of five are Blackburn, who lost 2-0 at Everton courtesy of goals from Leon Osman and Leighton Baines.

Of most concern to Blackburn fans was the lack of work Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard had to do.

But boss Steve Kean said: "I don't think it was a worrying performance.

"The overall performance was of two totally different halves.

"We were by far the better in the first and they were the better in the second.

"I think whoever was going to get the first goal today was always going to be in the box seat.

"That fell to Everton today and that was disappointing."

Birmingham beat Sunderland 2-0 with goals from Sebastian Larsson and Craig Gardner, leaving both sides five points above the drop zone.

Black Cats boss Steve Bruce said: "We are in it (a relegation battle), no question about it. There are 10 teams in it and we are one of them.

"The lads know we have not got enough points. We have one point from nine games and we've got to try to arrest that slump."

In Saturday's other game, Chelsea beat West Brom 3-1, coming back from Peter Odemwingie's opener with strikes from Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Frank Lampard to consolidate their position in the Champions League places.