Aston Villa have decided to part ways with manager Steven Gerrard, according to a report, with Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery lined up as potential replacements.
Aston Villa have decided to part ways with manager Steven Gerrard, according to a report.
The 42-year-old’s position at Villa Park has been under pressure in recent weeks following a poor start to the 2022-23 campaign.
Villa have won two, drawn three and lost five of their opening 10 Premier League games this season and currently sit 16th in the table, just one point above the relegation zone.
Gerrard, who replaced Dean Smith last November, saw his side on a four-match unbeaten run, including three draws, before the 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea on Sunday.
The former Rangers manager recently admitted he “loves” the pressure as Villa boss and is comfortable with the high expectations the club and fans have of him.
© Reuters
“I came here with high expectations for myself and a lot of faith. There should be expectations for me and this band. I’m only fine with it if it’s realistic,” Gerrard told reporters last week.
“We keep trying to be the best we can be and move up the league. Expectations and tension are part of the job. We have owners and a board that are extremely ambitious, that’s the tension I have and I love it.
“We compete in the most brutal and difficult league out there. I can’t demand time or keep asking for it, I have to give it. The sooner I can do it, the better.”
However, Gerrard’s time at Villa is over as Football Insider claim that the club’s hierarchy have decided to sack the Englishman with immediate effect.
The report adds that Villa are keen to appoint a successor by the end of the month, with Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery identified as potential replacements.
© Reuters
Pochettino is currently out of work after being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, despite leading the French giants to the Ligue 1 title last season.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton boss has been linked with a number of jobs since his sacking but is said to be ready to take the reins at Villa Park.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal boss Emery is currently in charge of La Liga side Villarreal, where his contract expires next summer.
The 50-year-old won the Europa League with the Yellow Submarine in his first season at the club in 2020-21, before leading them to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.
If reports are to be believed, Gerrard will become the fourth Premier League manager to lose his job this season, following Scott Parker, Thomas Tuchel and Bruno Lage.
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