Paul Lambert insists Aston Villa are not a dirty side despite being bottom of the fair play table ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool at Villa Park.
Relegation-threatened Villa have accumulated 64 bookings and two red cards during the current campaign. Midfielder Fabian Delph became the first Premier League player to have to serve a two game ban for 10 bookings and right-back Matt Lowton is one yellow card away from facing the same punishment.
He said: "I'm a little bit surprised we are bottom (of the fair play table). Because we're a young side, sometimes our enthusiasm overrides things. If the referee decides to wave the yellow card, you have to run with it."
Lambert added: "Are Villa a dirty side? Are you kidding. We've got one player over six feet tall. The rest are three feet, nine inches!
"We are not the biggest team but we will certainly stand up to things."
Lambert will not attempt to try and change Lowton's approach and has been delighted with his overall form.
He said: "Matty will get a couple of games (suspension) if he gets booked but he has been excellent for us.
"He started the season brilliantly, had a little dip along with everyone else, and over the last few months he has been back to what he was doing at the start.
"You can't curtail somebody's approach. That's the way he plays the game so you can't curtail it.
"You don't want him missing through a ban but I'd rather him make a challenge than not and if he has to take the consequences, he has to take it. We've other people there to come back in if that happens."
Source: PA
