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Paul Lambert: Libor Kozak will get goals for Aston Villa

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Boss Paul Lambert today declared he is ready to unleash Villa new-boy Libor Kozak on the Premier League – and backed him to become an instant hit.

moreThe £7m striker is set to feature in tomorrow's home clash with Newcastle after his deadline day switch from Lazio.

He scored in the Czech Republic's 2-1 defeat in Italy on Tuesday and Lambert insisted he has not been signed to sit on the bench.

"I know he can score goals," said Lambert.

"He's a handful, he's played in a league renowned for some of the hardest defending you can come up against.

"It's really tough to get away from a defender in Italy. His goalscoring in the Europa League was incredible.

"I don't know what happened at Lazio, what went on which meant he couldn't get many starts in Serie A – but he knows where the goal is.

"He scored a brilliant goal the other night against Italy in a real high-pressure game.

"I don't bring players in to say: 'You can sit on the bench for six months.'

"He's here to help and that's what he'll do.

"We've got options now. I can do what I want because he's a No.9, which is what I think we've needed."

Meanwhile, Lambert dismissed the uproar following Gabby Agbonlahor's tackle on One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson.

Agbonlahor was abused by the bands fans' after clattering into the singer during Stiliyan Petrov's charity game at Celtic on Sunday.

But Lambert admitted his daughters Victoria, Nicola and Kira got a picture with the star and said there was no problem.

"He's taken the pressure off me, that's what he's done," he said. "But I don't know if a threat from a teenage girl is much of a threat.

"There was nothing in it, nothing at all. It was a great occasion and it wasn't about the game or who was playing, it was about Stiliyan and the charity. That was the most important thing about the occasion.

"The lad from One Direction was good, really good. My kids got a picture with him and he was really nice."