Steven Gerrard is preparing to take charge of his first game since being appointed Aston Villa manager and Martin Keown is backing him to succeed. Gerrard’s side host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon and Keown wrote in the Daily Mail to give his honest opinion of the appointment.
He said: “Steven Gerrard and Aston Villa could be a perfect union. A young, ambitious coach who got a taste for success in Scotland taking on a famous old club with an outstanding stadium, facilities and squad to boot. Gerrard will be aiming to instil some much-needed consistency and start with three precious points.”
Keown isn’t wrong. Gerrard has inherited had a talented crop of players that should be doing much better in the Premier League, and they should fancy themselves against a Brighton side without a win in their last six.
Villa currently sit 16th in the table with 10 points from 11 games, having lost their last five consecutive matches, but they have the potential to turn things around. It’s exactly why Dean Smith was sacked, because the board felt the side were underachieving.
With the Midlands outfit being closer to the relegation zone than top-half, it’s a fair assessment. Gerrard has his work cut out, but he won Rangers their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade. The 41-year-old shouldn’t be fazed by the pressure given all he’s achieved as a player. He should be excited to have such a squad at his disposal.
Fans will be dying to see how his debut goes against Brighton and will hope Villa’s losing run will come to an end. Keown seems confident it will.
In other news, fans on social media react as Morgan Sanson picks up injury ahead of Brighton clash
