Paul Lambert has praised Aston Villa for their second-half display against Arsenal despite their defeat on Monday night.

The hosts trailed by two goals at the break at Villa Park, although Christian Benteke's first goal since September gave Villa hope in a much-improved performance after half time, but they were unable to recover in time and slipped to a 2-1 defeat to the Premier League leaders.

"That was more like it in the second half," Lambert told reporters. "I don't think if we'd got an equaliser anyone could have begrudged it.

"About this time last year [Benteke] started to hit the goals. It is quite uncanny. It will certainly give him a big lift."

Villa travel to Liverpool in their next game on Saturday.