Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies has hailed the influence of Stiliyan Petrov's captaincy this season.

The likes of James Milner, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing have all grabbed the headlines during their recent run of wins.

But Davies told Villa's website: "As much as James, Stewart and Ashley have done really well the fact is Stan's our captain and a very important player.

"His role is crucial for the defence. If he ever got too carried away and went walkabout, then we could end up being exposed. With the attacking threat we've got in midfield, if Stan was to think 'I'm going to get involved', we'd be left with a possible six against four at the back. But Stan's discipline allows us to hold out. I think that's a big part of why the defence have been doing so well this season!"