Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has refuted suggestions that goalkeeper Shay Given is to blame for the club's recent defensive errors.

Since the beginning of October the Midlands side have conceded eight goals despite starting the season strongly.

"I never even knew [Given] was thought of as being to blame," Sky Sports News quotes McLeish as saying.

"If you go over all of the games you will see that Shay has come for a few dangerous balls which have come into the box and punched a few as well.

"If they are all sitting on his toes then he can't come. I looked at the defensive line for the goal conceded against Sunderland and we were too deep, we could have moved a yard."

Villa take on Norwich City on home turf in the Premier League this weekend.