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Paul Lambert has confirmed for the first time that he will hold contract talks with Marc Albrighton as the winger strives to extend his Villa career.

Albrighton was the silver lining of another cloudy afternoon at Villa Park with an enterprising substitute cameo in Saturday’s home defeat to West Ham.

The 24-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of the season when he will become a free agent unless he agrees fresh terms with his boyhood club.

Lambert, who has started negotiations about extending his own contract, admits he intends to discuss the Bodymoor Heath academy graduate’s future.

“I will do,” he said. “I think that’s normal. It’s not something I’m really thinking about at this moment in time.

“Every time Marc’s come on for me he’s done well. He’s been really unlucky with the injuries he’s had here, they’ve kept him out for a long spell. But I thought he was excellent.

“I’ll definitely sit and talk to him. It’s just the way things have worked out with the games and his injuries have been one after the other. I know he’s out of contract so I’ll sit with him.”

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Lambert has praised the attitude Albrighton has shown despite a frustrating couple of seasons plagued by injuries and a lack of first team opportunities.

“He’s just a quite lad,” he said. “All the time I’ve been here I’ve just known him as a quiet lad, a nice lad and not a problem at all.

“I think hes been here all his days and I think he’s only known this other than the loan spell so we’ll see.

“His attitude has always been good, he’s really low maintence. He’s not a bad character at all. What you see is what you get with him. When he’s like that on that type of form he’s certainly a good player.”

Lambert admits the Tamworth-based wideman has certainly produced some impressive performances since returning from his loan spell at Wigan just before Christmas.

“The times he’s been on and especially on Saturday he gave us a lift when he got the game by the scruff of the neck, I thought,” said Lambert.

“I thought he put some terrific balls into the box, he was unlucky not to score. If that goes in it gives everybody a wee bit of a lift, but it wasn’t going to be our day.

“He had a problem with his throat and a metatarsal, not once, twice. He’s only a young lad and he had that. When it’s all against you all the time, you think ‘when’s it going to clear up?’.

“Hopefully he has a run now where he can go on.”

Albrighton is in contention to start tomorrow’s crunch clash at Cardiff, while Joe Bennett is on standby to replaced injured Ryan Bertrand at left-back.

Bertrand smashed into the upright and hurt his ribs defending a West Ham attack and played through the pain barrier until the final 16 minutes when fit-again Bennett came on a substitute.

“He was injured in that one when he clashed against the post,” added Lambert.

“It’s his ribs, I think, at the minute. I don’t think he’s broken them but we’ll have to see tomorrow. I don’t know if he will be available for Tuesday but the problem was from his collision against the post.”