Birmingham Mail: Paul Lambert has praised Barry Bannan for bouncing back from the disappointment of being dropped to help Villa achieve the winning double that has promised to save their season. Bannan's return to first-team duty has coincided with successive victories over Reading and QPR to lift the claret and blues out of the drop zone and into seventeenth place ahead of their next match at home to Liverpool a week on Sunday.

Birmingham Mail: Paul Lambert has praised the achievement so far of Villa's young guns as they target continued success in tonight's NextGen Series quarter-final against Olympiacos at Villa Park. Lambert has been in attendance for the home games and has sent the team an upbeat message ahead of tonight's clash.

Birmingham Mail: Villa midfielder Barry Bannan will get the chance to add to his eleven international caps after being called up to the Scotland squad for their World Cup qualifiers with Wales and Serbia. The 23-year-old's inclusion comes after the withdrawal of James Morrison.

Daily Mirror: Aston Villa are plotting a summer raid for Manchester City flop Scott Sinclair. Sinclair, 23, has failed to establish himself at the champions after a £6.2m move.

Daily Mail: Aston Villa are ready to rescue Scott Sinclair from his Manchester City nightmare - if they manage to stay up this season Paul Lambert's side have eight games to secure survival but Sinclair has not escaped their notice as a potential summer transfer target.

Daily Mail: Norwich will attempt to sign Andreas Weimann, who talks about a new deal with Aston Villa have stalled. Norwich manager Chris Hughton is in the market for a goal poacher to buy Celtic's Gary Hooper during the January transfer window.

ESPN: Barry Bannan's recall to the Scotland squad has been underpinned by encouraging words closer to home from his manager at Aston Villa, Paul Lambert. Bannan, 23, who was instrumental in Aston Villa's potentially crucial victory over Queens Park Rangers at the weekend, has been reassured at the same time by his club boss Lambert that his development at Premier League level is on track.

Best of the Rest

BBC Sport: Former England striker Gary Lineker says Michael Owen will be remembered as one of their "best-ever strikers" who would have broken Sir Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record but for injury.

Sky Sports: Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has rubbished suggestions that he could be set for a shock summer move to Premier League rivals Arsenal.

BBC Sport: Wigan's Callum McManaman has escaped a Football Association charge for his tackle on Newcastle's Massadio Haidara.

*The extracts on this page are taken from various newspapers and media outlets. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Aston Villa.