Aston Villa midfielder Craig Gardner has revealed manager Martin O'Neill has ordered him to 'shoot on sight'.

He told Villa's website: "I used to take all the free-kicks for my Sunday league team and for my schools and I used to score most of them. Now I've brought that into the first-team and scored two goals in two games.

"The gaffer knows I've got a hard shot and he tells me to get as many shots off as I can. In training I'm always shooting. I think the players get a bit fed up with it sometimes, but if I see the goal I try and have a shot.

"Obviously if there's a pass on I'll pass it, but if I'm in shooting range I'll have a go. That's the way I like to play.

"Look at Frank Lampard he's a top midfielder who get 10 of 15 goals a season and that's what I want to be. I want to be in that goal bracket.

"There's a few at Villa with hard shots. Patrik Berger can hit the ball well and John Carew can hit it if he connects, but I don't think I'm far behind."