Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has hinted that he will put his players through a tough pre-season programme as they prepare for the new Premier League season.

Villa finished just above the relegation zone last season, and Lambert has vowed that the team will be ready come August 18.

"I never read too much into pre-season games to be honest. It's nice to win. But I have been involved where we have won every pre-season game and then you get turned over in two or three games with the season just started," he told Sky Sports News.

"I have had it the other way too where we haven't won a pre-season game and then we have started the season flying. The main thing for me is to get the team fit and get them into a way of playing and get their confidence going and not be frightened by making mistakes.

"But it's new. There's freshness about it for them. They can go and express themselves. Once it starts for real that's when it really matters."

Lambert took charge of Villa at the beginning of June.