Paul Lambert's Aston Villa flop can't stop scoring after 12-minute hat-trick

He's the former Aston Villa striker best remembered for having his shorts pulled down by Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen before ballooning a shot straight into the Upper Holte.

It is, of course, Nicklas Helenius, a £1.35million buy under Paul Lambert in 2013 at a time when then-owner Randy Lerner pulled the plug on any more big-money signings.

"Nicklas is a young lad but also a full international with a good goalscoring record in Denmark and he'll prove himself in the Premier League," Lambert said on the day Helenius signed almost 10 years ago.

"He wants to go and make a name and a career for himself. It's a case of continuing to work hard and building on that and I believe he can."

Helenius, now 30, spent just one full season at Villa Park before being loaned out and made a grand total of just six substitute appearances under Lambert, scoring once in the FA Cup third-round home defeat to Sheffield United.

Despite having a year remaining on his deal, Villa flogged him to Danish club Aalborg BK for free in 2015 and, after signing permanently, failed to score in his 13 appearances before spells at German club Paderborn and back in Denmark with Silkeborg, OB and Jack Wilshere's current club AGF.

Last year, though, Helenius rejoined Silkeborg on a permanent basis and scored a staggering eight times in his first five appearances. He's since become skipper.

This season's been no different with the former Denmark international rattling in 10 goals from his 16 appearances in the Danish Superligaen with Silkeborg fighting for the European spots.

Last weekend, Helenius banged in a 12-minute hat-trick to help blitz former club Aalborg 4-1 away from home.

Johan Lange's previous club Copenhagen currently top Superligaen with