Former Aston Villa skipper Stiliyan Petrov has claimed that Gabriel Agbonlahor's recent off-field antics are nothing new, but believes the under-fire striker still has a future at the club.

Agbonlahor has been suspended by the Villans after pictures emerged of him partying just hours after his side's inevitable relegation to the Championship.

Despite coming under criticism for his antics, fresh on the back of a separate investigation into his behaviour while in Dubai last month, Petrov insists that his former teammate has nothing but love for the West Midlands outfit.

"That is Gabby's type of life all these years, even when he was outstanding, when he was bad. He loves the club, he is always out there, he wants to perform," Sky Sports News quotes the Bulgarian as saying.

"Gabby is different and I don't think it is Gabby's fault what is happening. Yes, he is part of it, he should have dealt and acted better but I certainly think that is not the first time Gabby smoked shisha, that he has been out and had a couple of drinks, partying. Everybody does it."

Petrov spent six years at Villa Park before being forced into early retirement in 2013 due to a battle with leukaemia.