Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert says Stiliyan Petrov remains club captain.

Petrov will remain Aston Villa's club captain while he continues his fight through treatment for leukaemia.

New boss Lambert - who played with Petrov at Celtic - insists the 33-year-old Bulgarian will retain his status at the club as a mark of respect and to support him through his ordeal.

He said: "Stiliyan is still club captain, no doubt. Even if I wasn't manager of Aston Villa, his health is more important to me than anything.

"I will need to look for a team captain on the field, but I wouldn't take anything away from Stiliyan for what he's done here and what he's going through at the minute.

"He is a huge influence on this football club."