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Matt Lowton will fight for his place at Aston Villa after clear-the-air talks with manager Paul Lambert.

Lowton’s second season at Villa Park has fallen flat with the right-back struggling to repeat his impressive impact from his debut campaign.

There have been several enquiries from clubs about taking Lowton on loan, but Villa and the player himself prefer him to stay and challenge Leandro Bacuna.

Lowton, who signed a new deal last summer to keep him at Villa until 2017, has been left out of Lambert’s last three matchday squads for the draw at Cardiff, defeat at Newcastle and victory over Norwich.

It follows a disciplinary issue in mid-January when Lowton was fined a week’s wages for reporting late for training at Bodymoor Heath after getting stuck in traffic on the M1.

The 24-year-old former Sheffield United favourite was omitted from the squad for the following day’s draw at Liverpool, but regained his place for the win over West Brom, was an unused substitute for the draw at Everton and started the defeat to West Ham.

Lambert insisted last month that he had not fallen out with Lowton and it is understood the defender has told the manager he is determined to regain his first team place.

Last season, during his first year in the top flight, Lowton was a virtual ever-present, starting all but one of Villa’s Premier League matches.

Lowton was critical of his dip in form earlier this season, admitting his performances had not been good enough.