Stiliyan Petrov hails fitness regime

Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has hailed the new French-inspired fitness regime he believes will enable the team to launch another top-six assault.

Houllier's fitness coach Robert Duverne, who was involved in the now-infamous training ground bust-up with France skipper Patrice Evra during the World Cup, has introduced a punishing new programme for the players and Petrov says they are reaping the rewards.

Petrov said: "My next level of fitness is dying! Could I run a marathon? After the next couple of weeks I may do two in a row!

"Everything has been right. We have a good fitness coach in Duverne. He's been doing a really great job. He has his own programme.

"Some days it's hard, it's physical, it's running, it's football as well. We want to get fitter and get this club to the next level.

"We are in most days. Every manager has his different visions. We just need to accept it and keep working.

"The last couple of seasons we have finished in the top six and we have to try to do that again.

"It's a big responsibility but we won't run away from that, we'll push as hard as we can."