Lambert: Anfield win ´long gone´

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert says December’s 3-1 victory at Anfield will count for nothing when they host Liverpool on Sunday.

Villa put in one of their best performances of the season that day and will fancy their chances of completing a double over Brendan Rodgers’ side after winning two consecutive league games for the first time.

Although the former Norwich manager admitted his side are in good shape going into Sunday’s match, he is refusing to get carried away.

“I don’t know if you ever get a complete performance but, that day, we played very, very well,” he told reporters.

“Periods like that make you stronger when you’re getting beat and beat. You just know it’s in your abilities to win a game but sometimes you need a break to do so.

“The Anfield game has long gone, it’s finished. It will have no bearing on what happens now.

“The fact we’ve won the last two games is something more to take into it than what we did at Liverpool. But, in the last few weeks, we’ve played really well. We’re playing well enough to try and win it on Sunday.

“I want to try to win it. Someone has just told me it will be the first time since 2009/10 if we win three in a row. We’re only four points from 11th. One or two wins and you pull clubs back into it.”

Like Villa, Liverpool have one of the youngest squads in the Premier League, but Lambert insisted the Reds have enough quality in their ranks to make life very difficult for his side.

“We’re going to have to play very well to win,” he continued. “They have some top players; world-class players. Not just (Luis) Suarez, but (Steven) Gerrard, (Jamie) Carragher – guys who have won European Cups and World Cups.

“Brendan has said it will take three or four years to get where he wants to get it. We’re trying to build certain things as well. We want to try and change something and I think the crowd are right behind it. This game is virtually sold out.

“If we can keep that level up, the crowd will be right with us again. The lads have kept on going. They are handling the pressure of it and know what they can do. The fact they have not melted under it is amazing.”