I’m no one-trick pony, says Liverpool’s Benteke

As Villa only scored 12 goals in Paul Lambert’s past 25 league games in charge, that is something they did too infrequently before Sherwood’s arrival.

Bournemouth kick off their first ever Premier League campaign with a home fixture against Aston Villa who just about survived the drop last season. I told him I am not afraid about it. If Liverpool bought me then they know how to use me.

In quotes taken by the Liverpool Echo, he said: “When someone asks me a question like that [who would you most like to play with] I think straight away, ‘Can I play with him?”

Villa sold top scorer Christian Benteke to Liverpool in late July but have moved quickly to bolster their front line with the signings of Jordan Ayew and Rudy Gestede from Lorient and Blackburn Rovers respectively. I also have no doubt that Villa fans would love him.

The Belgian marksman swapped Villa Park for Anfield in a £32.5m deal last month, before taking a swipe at his former manager for suggesting that he would not fit into their attack. I am not coming in here saying I will be a hero to the fans.

Aston Villa looked destine for relegation at times last season but survived their troubled season with Premier League status.

“Everyone is looking forward to the new season and I’m delighted to be going into the opening game on Saturday knowing my long-term future has been sorted”. “It would have to be some good quality of striker to be better than what we have”.

He said: “I think it is not about money”.

“It was a needs-must, we needed to bring in and hopefully we can get them to gel”.

“We need to stay in the league obviously”, said the manager, who lost two key players in Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph during the summer transfers.

“It is an honour to get this number and I am happy to have it. I don’t like to speak about what I am going to do, I like to speak on the pitch”.