Villa suspend assistant manager Culverhouse

(Reuters) - Aston Villa have suspended assistant manager Ian Culverhouse and head of football operations Gary Karsa while an internal investigation is carried out, the club said in a statement on Tuesday.

No further details about their situation were provided, but Gordon Cowans and Shay Given have been temporarily promoted to assist manager Paul Lambert.

Cowans spent three spells at the club as a player before joining the coaching staff in 1998, while former Ireland international goalkeeper Given was loaned to Championship (second-tier) club Middlesbrough earlier this season.

Villa, who are 14th in the Premier League and four points above the relegation zone after losing their last four matches, host Southampton on Saturday.

"I'm delighted to have Gordon and Shay to assist me in preparing the team for Saturday which is what the whole group is focused on," Lambert said in the statement on the club website (www.avfc.co.uk).

(Reporting by Josh Reich, editing by Ed Osmond)