Lambert eyes City scalp

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert is confident his team can beat Manchester City on Monday and move out of the relegation zone.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert is confident his team can beat Manchester City on Monday and move out of the relegation zone.

Villa sit third from bottom in the English Premier League, but a win against the champions would lift them above Wigan and into 17th spot.

And Lambert, who takes his side to a crunch match with Reading on their next away trip, believes Villa have shown they will be able to cope against Roberto Mancini’s men.

He told reporters: “I felt there were signs of encouragement against Arsenal but then I’ve felt that for a few weeks without getting the results.

“That’s the frustrating thing, when you play well and don’t get results especially the games at Everton, West Brom and Swansea.

“When you have a two-goal lead at Everton and West Brom and you don’t see it through, or concede a late equaliser as was the case at Swansea, it’s frustrating.

“If you had taken maximum points from those games, then you’d be sitting mid-table and, against Arsenal, we should have had at least a point.”

Villa will travel to face Reading on March 9, before another crucial game at home to Queens Park Rangers a week later.

But Lambert, who is targeting maximum points from the fixtures, does not want to rule out a result against Manchester City.

“People are asking about the Reading and QPR games and I say to them, ‘so there’s no point in playing Manchester City then?'” he said.

“I don’t view it that way. We may as well just give it to them if we think like that. We want to beat Manchester City.”