Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Paul Lambert rebuffs Moyes' assessment that Villa kicked Adnan Januzaj off the pitch
PAUL LAMBERT has defended his Aston Villa team against David Moyes’ accusation that they tried to kick young star Adnan Januzaj off the pitch.
Moyes claimed Villa were queuing up to kick Januzaj in Manchester United’s 2-0 win on Sunday.
But Lambert said: “You look at our lads, they are not aggressive lads.
“There are one or two who can look after themselves, but you can’t let anyone turn up and try to play.
“We’re not a team of kickers and I think that was unfair.”
The Manchester United defeat was the second successive game Villa have lost after going five unbeaten.
“We never laid a glove on United in the first half,” said Lambert. “The lads knew that themselves.
“The good thing is we never rolled over but the horse had bolted. At this level of football you have to do something on the pitch.”
Villa’s away form is better than their home form and Lambert is looking for a win at Stoke on Saturday.
Ron Vlaar will again be missing with injury and Lambert admitted: “Against Fulham and then United we were not good enough.
“Southampton, before those two fixtures, we were excellent down there and the start we’ve made, generally, is pretty OK.”
Gabby Agbonlahor is suspended for the Stoke match but Fabian Delph will be back.
“Delph back, that’s a major plus because of the way he’s been playing,” said Lambert.
“Stoke is a tough place to go but away from home we seem to be freer. We have got to rectify our home form though.”