Paul Lambert: 'Christian Benteke was never a starting option'

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has said that starting Christian Benteke in today's Premier League game with Tottenham Hotspur was "never an option".

The Belgian striker had been out since September with a hip injury but came on in the second half at Villa Park and nearly found the net with a header.

"Christian has only trained four days in a month," PA quotes the Scottish coach as saying. "It is unfair on him to ask him to go straight in.

"He has trained with us a couple of days and a couple with Belgium. That wasn't enough to throw him into a game of that magnitude. It was never an option."

Spurs went on to win the match 2-0 thanks to goals from Andros Townsend and Roberto Soldado.