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Paul Lambert will ask Randy Lerner for extra transfer funds this summer after admitting Villa’s injury crisis has left his squad exposed.

Villa were without Christian Benteke (Achilles), Fabian Delph (Achilles/calf), Gabby Agbonlahor (illness) and Karim El Ahmadi (thigh) during Saturday’s bleak 2-1 home defeat to bottom club Fulham.

Jores Okore (knee), Libor Kozak (leg), Charles N’Zogbia (Achilles), Gary Gardner (foot) and Nicklas Helenius (thigh) have also been out injured, while Chris Herd is unavailable due to personal issues.

Lambert hopes to welcome back Delph, Agbonlahor and El Ahmadi in time for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

But he admits the size of his squad does need to be addressed in the summer – and he intends to have discussions about his budget with the chairman.

“If you go through them, Okore is nearly a full season, Kozak virtually half-a-season, Benteke six months or so and Charles, so they’ve been major, major injuries, they’re not just strains or anything,” said Lambert.

“As well as Christian, we were without Gabby and Fabian. It’s a big chunk and if you throw in El Ahmadi as well because he’s been playing really well of late. That’s four lads that have been playing virtually the whole season for us and when you lose that it is a big chunk to lose.

“I think a club this size needs a big squad and these conversations will happen probably in a few weeks’ time.



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“Listen, we’ve not spoken about it yet.

“I spoke to Randy on Friday and he knows the situation with Christian. I think the most important thing is to get through this season and then there will be time to sit with Paul Faulkner and Randy and see what’s happening.

“There’s always been injuries, but that’s part and parcel of the game. But when you lose four of them that’s a big chunk out of our side.”

Lambert emphasised that Villa’s long list of injuries was purely coincidental rather than a result of their training methods.

“In the majority of the cases there was nobody near the lads,” he added.