Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert insists he has no personal problem with Darren Bent.

Bent has been loaned out to top-flight Fulham last term and both Brighton and now Derby this season despite Villa struggling for goals.

But Villa boss Lambert responded: "I think Darren has got to be honest with himself. If you ask anyone here, or any of his team-mates, they'd tell you it's nothing personal.

"I never stood in his way to go to any other club. The only clubs that came in for him were Championship clubs - not one Premier League club. That says a lot, so it was never personal.

"He went to Brighton for a month and never wanted to renew it. Went to Derby and never started a game.

"At Fulham, he never played a lot of games towards the tail end. Was it personal with me when he was at Fulham? It is what it is, but it was never personal."