Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is prepared to cop the flak from fans in order to protect his players.

Lambert is prepared to take another week of criticism if it means protecting his players.

"My job is to pick them up and protect them," said Lambert. "They're the ones who go and play the game. Come next Saturday we'll need the supporters.

"We'll need them to roar us on and I've got no doubt they will be behind us.

"They come in their thousands week in week out.

"I don't ever have a problem with what happened because their support is second to none.

"Nobody wants the club to be in this position. The club should never be in this position, it's too big a football club."