Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says that he was not surprised by his side's Boxing Day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

A Jermain Defoe opener and a Gareth Bale hat-trick earned Spurs a 4-0 victory at Villa Park, just three days after the Villans were battered 8-0 at Chelsea.

Despite impressive cup and league wins at Norwich and Liverpool earlier this month, Lambert is not shocked at his side's heavy back-to-back defeats.

"I'm not surprised by anything in football," said Lambert. "Things can happen. You know it can happen, especially when you are playing one of the top sides.

"We rode our luck massively in the first half - Spurs were very good in the first half. I thought we started the second half really well and were in the ascendancy, and I think with the first goal, there is a foul on Fabian in the first place - I think a free kick should have been given.

"With the second goal we had a good chance to make it 1-1, but they go up the other end of the park and score again. That is what can happen when you are playing against these types of players."

Villa host Wigan Athletic on Saturday.