CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe believes FA Cup rival Paul Lambert “will get it right” at Aston Villa.

The West Midlands side have dropped to 15th in the Premier League following a winless top-flight run that stretches back to December 7.

They have scored only once in their past six games in all competitions and have netted just seven league goals at Villa Park this campaign.

Lambert was previously in charge at Norwich where he guided the Canaries from League One to the Premier League in successive seasons.

Howe, who leads Cherries into battle against Villa in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday (3pm), has backed Lambert to steer his team up the table.

The Dean Court boss told the Daily Echo: “I’ve got a lot of time for Paul Lambert and the work he does and how his teams play.

“He did a magnificent job at Norwich. I came up against his Norwich team at Burnley and they played good football and were incredibly hard-working.

“He’s taken on a really difficult job with Villa but certainly, given time, I think he will get it right.”

Howe, who has never been to Villa Park as a player or manager, said this weekend’s trip was a tie to “embrace”.

He added: “In a cup game, we always say we want a home draw. But if you’re going to get an away game, an away game at a Premier League club is a good test and something we will embrace.

“Going to Aston Villa is a difficult game for us. We don’t underestimate the strength of the Premier League and the teams in it.

“You look at the pace they have in forward areas and know they are going to be a real threat. We know it’s going to be a tough assignment but it will be a good marker for us to see how strong we are.

“As always with the cup games, we can go there with freedom and try to show everyone we’re a good team.”