Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert believes there are ten clubs in this season's relegation battle.

Lambert claims higher-placed teams who have been dragged into the relegation battle - such as Saturday's opponents Stoke - will suffer most in the run-in.

He said: "Every team in the bottom half is in a battle now.

"We are four points off 12th and for much of the season we have been accustomed to this situation.

"We've been living through it and we've dealt with the pressures it brings.

"Suddenly, there are other teams that have been pulled into it, teams who haven't had to get their heads around it and we'll see now what happens.

"The important thing for us is that we don't get caught up in it all, that we continue to focus on our games, on our jobs and that's what we'll do."