Stiliyan Petrov insists Aston Villa Football Club are coping very well without Gareth Barry.

Often the lynchpin of the Villa side, midfielder Barry was sold to Manchester City in a £12million transfer in the summer as he approached the final year of his contract.

Despite an opening day defeat to Wigan Athletic and a Europa League exit, Martin O’Neill’s side are looking to progress this season, and Petrov feels they will prove a better side without Barry.

"It is good, we look more compact and we work very hard for each other,” he told the Mirror. “We lost an incredible player and person in Gareth but life is going on - we just need to battle without him.

"We talk more now on the field, we are more organised and we look after each other, which is a very important thing in our game. Nigel (Reo-Coker) and Steve Sidwell have come back raring to go.”