Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert believes that his side have been "harshly criticised" at times this season.

The Villans went on a barren run earlier this season, losing six games in succession to drop towards the bottom end of the Premier League table.

However, since then Lambert's charges have gone four games without defeat, while their win away at Crystal Palace last time out ended a winless spell which stretched back to mid-September.

"Winning makes you feel good and that is how it is right now," the 45-year-old is quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail. "When you look at it, we have still been harshly criticised this season I feel.

"To come through four games in a row without defeat is good because it's not easy to do that. The spirit among the lads has never really wilted.

"They've kept at it and at it and then all of a sudden they find themselves only a couple of points behind Everton. It just shows you that it's not all doom and gloom like some people portray it."

Villa are back in Premier League action this weekend when they play host to bottom-of-the-table Leicester City.