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Alan Hutton had two reasons to be happy after Aston Villa beat Stoke on Saturday.

Firstly, his first competitive minutes under Paul Lambert were a success.

Secondly, the team he wants to help fire up the league this season wrote off all their early-season doubters with an excellent away win.

Speaking with a smile on his face for his second successive interview, Hutton said: “Everybody wrote us off coming to Stoke.

“But I think we have proved a lot of people wrong.

“I think we have got a good mix and blend now with the young ones and the more experienced ones.

“We were written off from the word go.

“But we have proved a lot of people wrong.”

Hutton added: “I think people will be quietly surprised (this season).

“I think people shot us down early on but you’ve seen us here and we did well going forward and at the back.

“I think there’s a great blend. You need to have the young boys involved as well, but to have that little bit of experience is always great.

“We’ve got a great blend this season.”

Hutton’s performance was so good it could be argued it was his best display in a Villa shirt.

That he hadn’t played a competitive minute under Lambert before the weekend was hard to believe.

He said: “It’s unbelievable to come away here and get the three points and obviously a second debut for myself is brilliant.”