Steven Gerrard has returned to the Premier League, with Aston Villa officially announcing the former Liverpool star as their new manager earlier today. Gerrard replaces Dean Smith, who was sacked just before the international break following a loss away at Southampton.
With Gerrard originally having been contracted to Rangers till 2024, Villa had to pay the Scottish champions a compensation fee for their manager. His first game in charge of the Midlands outfit will come in the form of a home fixture against Brighton on November 20. December is also a tough month for Gerrard, with games against Man City, Leicester and Liverpool all lined up for the club.
Villa have struggled for consistency following the sale of talismanic medio Jack Grealish in the summer, and the likes of Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings haven’t really been able to have enough minutes together on the pitch to make an impact.
Gerrard has inked a 3.5-year deal at Villa Park, meaning that he is expected to be in charge of them till the summer of 2025. Many fans are of the view that the Villa job is a stepping stone to the Liverpool one, which he is expected to take when Jurgen Klopp steps down.
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