Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has admitted that striker Christian Benteke is going through a "hard time" at the moment.
The Belgium international hasn't found the net in his last 10 Premier League games, with his last goal coming against Newcastle United on September 14.
Lambert told the club's official website: "The kid is just going through a hard time. He will come back from it. He may not realise that now.
"It's all been well documented. He's a young lad. He will go through spells - I bet you any money he will have another one like this in his career. He had a monumental start. He is finding it a little hard at the minute. He's been carrying little knocks which haven't helped.
"It's not that he isn't trying. I have never known a footballer not trying. It might be he's lacking confidence and things not going his way. That's because he set such a high standard."
Villa are 11th in the Premier League after taking 19 points from their opening 16 games.
Simon Sinclair
