Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert hails 'world class' Shay Given

13 Dec 2012 09:00:00

The Villa boss praised the former Republic of Ireland shot stopper after he helped guide his side into the semi final of the Capital One Cup with a 4-1 victory over Norwich

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has hailed the performance of Shay Given as 'world class' after the goalkeeper helped his side progress into the semi-final of the Capital One Cup.

Villa triumped 4-1 over Norwich in the quarter final of the competition at Carrow Road, with goals from Brett Holman and Christian Benteke as well as a double from Andreas Weimann ensuring the victory.

However, former Manchester City goalkeeper Given played his part in the win, producing a number of important saves during the game, including a save to deny Steve Morison early in the second half.

"With Shay, I have been in the game a long time and they are two of the best saves I have ever seen," Lambert told avfc.co.uk. "Absolute world-class. His saves were world-class."

Given has struggled to nail down a place in the Villa team this season and Lambert recently revealed that he was unwilling to let the 36-year-old custodian out on loan, arguing that the presence of two quality goalkeepers was healthy competition to have in a team.

Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets

Inside Goal.Com

Inside Celtic: End of season review
With just the Scottish Cup final left before the summer break, Inside Celtic looks back on a memorable season for Neil Lennon's men
Champions League Final Preview: Dortmund - Bayern
Jurgen Klopp's side will be eager for vengeance after watching their Bundesliga title slip into the hands of the Bavarian giants this term
The Dossier: Stop Martinez, stop Bayern
With the Mario Gotze missing through injury, Marco Reus will be charged with the task of stopping Javi Martinez from dictating proceedings in the middle of the park
'Mario, you will never redeem yourself'
Mario Gotze's injury means the playmaker has now played his final game for Borussia Dortmund. In an open letter, a fan tells of his emotion at his controversial switch to Bayern
BVB's rise from the abyss to European contenders
BVB have recovered from teetering on the edge of bankruptcy to take their place on Europe's grandest stage, humbling their opponents on Saturday, Bayern Munich, along the way