Christian Benteke has warned the Premier League teams he is firing on all cylinders
The Aston Villa striker scored the penalty winner in stoppage time to beat West Brom on Tuesday, his side's first League victory of 2015, and seal his recovery from an Achilles injury.
"I have faith in myself and I know that you sometimes have good times and others bad times. Maybe it's my good time now," he said.
"I had a really bad time but I knew that if I worked hard I would get some good times back as well. I'm optimistic about the future."
It was only Benteke's fourth goal of the campaign in his 23rd game having previously looked a shadow of the player that burst onto the scene two years ago, when he scored 23 goals.
The Achilles injury left the Belgian on the sidelines for six months last April, putting him out of the World Cup, and the 24-year-old has admitted he has struggled to get going again since returning last October.
"I don't know why it hasn't gone so well for me," he said. "I haven't changed anything but people have to remember I had a bad injury and it has taken quite some time to get back from that.
Win gives Sherwood best feeling in the world [AMBIENT]
"I was out for six months so I needed to get some games in to get back to my level. I'm not feeling any effects of the injury now. I feel fit.
"Being injured was a bad time for me. I missed the World Cup. I wanted to show the world that I am a good player but that's gone now so I have to move on. Hopefully I will be scoring quite a few more goals now."
Benteke believes new Villa boss Tim Sherwood is helping him re-establish his form just like he did with Emmanuel Adebayor while in charge at Tottenham.
We can survive. It will be hard, but we have 11 games left
Christian Benteke
"The new manager understands my situation, that I have to be given more chances and then maybe I will start scoring more goals," he said.
"I saw what he did with Adebayor and maybe it is a similar situation and I hope to do the same. He speaks with a lot of confidence. He's a very cool guy. For us he is the right manager.
"But I am grateful to Paul Lambert for what he did for me. He brought me over here from Belgium and I had a successful time under him.
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"Of course we can survive. It will be hard, but we have 11 games left. It's 11 cup finals so we will have to work hard and play for each other."
Villa now host West Brom again on Saturday in the FA Cup quarter-finals with confidence sky high.
"Everyone is now looking forward to Saturday and to try and do the same," said Benteke. "It was a big boost especially as it came over one of our local rival clubs.
"I hope the FA Cup can be special for us. But I don't think this win gives us an advantage over West Brom. It's another competition."
