Matt Lowton is ready to plug Aston Villa centre back gap

The right-back is prepared to fill in for the crocked Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker if they fail to recover in time to face Arsenal on Monday.

Lowton played at centre-back in the FA Cup loss to former club Sheffield United on Saturday and covered for Vlaar when he limped out of the win at Sunderland on New Year's Day. Vlaar has a calf problem while Baker suffered a hamstring injury in the warm-up before the 2-1 defeat to the Blades.

Lowton is primed to deputise against the Gunners. He said: "Wherever the gaffer wants me to play, I'll definitely give everything.

"I played a few times there when I was at Sheffield United, but I think it's completely different playing centre- half in the Premier League. With all due respect to the centre-forwards in lower leagues, they're not usually as mobile or as clever.

"To play centre-half in the Premier League on a regular basis would be a very difficult task for me, but wherever I play I'll give 100 per cent."

Boss Paul Lambert is hopeful Vlaar and Baker will recover in time. Jores Okore also handed him a fitness boost by declaring he should be fit by March after a cruciate knee ligament injury.

But Ciaran Clark is Villa's only fit centre-back and Lowton knows the tricks of the trade to help.

"When you're a full-back you've got to tuck in and help the centre-half, but you've got to be aware of the winger as well," said the 24-year-old.

"You get a one-v-one situation a lot of the time. I think as a centre-half, organisation is just as key as anything because you can see a lot more and you can help cut the passing lines off."