Paul Lambert hints at Christian Benteke return

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has hinted that striker Christian Benteke could be fit in time to face Sunderland on New Year's Day.

Benteke has missed Villa's last three games due to a knee injury, during which time the Midlands club have only picked up one point and scored two goals.

The Belgian striker has struggled to replicate the form he showed in his debut season so far this campaign, but Lambert backed him to rediscover the scoring touch that saw him net 15 times between January 1, 2013 and the end of that season.

"Christian trained this morning and looked okay. He feels okay within himself. The thing with Christian is he's a young guy, and people forget that," Lambert is quoted as saying by PA.

"Everyone put this super-stardom thing on him, but he's 23 years of age. He's a young guy and his confidence suffers, as everyone else's does.

"He's back and hopefully he will do what he did at the tail-end of last season. This is the point where Christian scored all his goals and if he does all that, it would be great."

Villa currently sit 13th in the Premier League table, just four points above the relegation zone having failed to win any of their last five games.