Sunderland tomorrow and some Aston Villa player news

Have you heard the saying 'the table doesn't lie'? Well this weekend we've got bottom of the table coming to Villa Park and that usually means we don't win, so be prepared for something a little messy.

Or don't be. If you look at the current form table we're on the same points as Sunderland; six from our last six, but we've not lost as many. For me, this match has draw written all over it.

But that isn't to say that is what I think the result will be. We're playing bottom of the table side, so right now I think we can win. Right now, I think we should win, but I just have a cheeky feeling someone is going to tell me that a point will be a good result against a side like Sunderland. It isn't mind.

And wouldn't it be nice to get another result similar to the last time they came to Villa Park. I hope you haven't forgot that 6-1 match? Now, that was a special night. Or actually, that was the special night of last season, we always have one.

But lightening doesn't strike twice and it's fair to say that Sunderland are having a little resurgence after sacking Di Canio, but like I wrote above, they're basically doing as well as we are over the last six games, so they've possibly taken that new positive feeling as far as it can go.

What I mean is, they're due a defeat and we're due a win and we're at home and I think we'll get it.

I think they'll come at us and we'll play pretty much the same way we did against Cardiff. We'll end up with less possession and more long balls, but we will counter well and steal it. We're Aston Villa and that's the way we do it.

But more on the match tomorrow, we now have some news.

Players in and out

Okay, Albrighton really isn't a player in, he's just come home. For some, this might signal he will play a role soon, but it's just the end of his 28 day loan. I hope I'm wrong and he does get some game time and he does show us what he's capable of, but only time will tell.

In other news, Shay Given has joined Middlesbrough on loan for a month. He'll be back and he'll be with us until he retires, don't you worry about that.

Other than that, Enda Stevens has joined Doncaster until the new year and Jordan Graham has joined Ipswich on a youth loan deal until early January.

Last bit of news focuses on Gary Gardner and his return to training. I'm a long time fan of Gardner, as I was his brother until he said what he said and a part of that is because he's a local lad, but also because he has shown some real talent coming through the ranks for us and England.

I hope there are no more setbacks for the lad, I really do and I hope he gets his chance now. And on that note, that is it for today. Big match tomorrow and an early post, I've almost finished.

Lambert interview after April match

I've not watched this yet, but how many times do you think he uses the word excellent?

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