New boy ready for opener

Aston Villa new boy Matthew Lowton says he is ready for the opening game of the season away at West Ham.

The 23-year-old, who could take Alan Hutton's place as the regular right-back, says that he is fit for the opening Premier League game of the season. The former Sheffield United player sat out the pre-season friendly fixture against Werder Bremen in Germany last week. However, the youngster, who has yet to play in the Premier League, is fit again and has no intention of missing out on his first taste of top flight football at Upton Park. "I took a knock in training on Friday so the manager said just as a precaution to sit that one out," he told the Birmingham Mail. "But I'm back in training now so everything's fine. It was my ankle and it just had a bit of swelling on it, but I just sat it out so it didn't get any worse." "With it being a Premier League game the atmosphere will be electric down there at West Ham so, fingers crossed, I can start and we can get a good result."