Villa keen to appoint manager during break with Gerrard on shortlist

Aston Villa are aiming to have their new manager in place by the end of the international break, with Rangers manager Steven Gerrard on a shortlist put together by the English side.

Villa are looking for a new manager after sacking Dean Smith on Sunday, and will use the break from club games to recruit his successor. The Premier League side face Brighton in their next match, on November 20.

A number of high profile names have been linked with the role, and Gerrard has caught the attention of Villa after leading Rangers to the league title in his first job in management. The Englishman was recently linked with the vacancy at Newcastle United.

Smith had been in charge of Villa as they were promoted from the Championship and then consolidated their place in the Premier League.

The Midlands club had set their sights high this season, with Smith having publicly targeted a top ten place, but five successive league defeats left the hierarchy at Villa Park convinced that change was necessary.

Gerrard arrived at Ibrox in 2018 with the target of ending Celtic’s dominance of domestic trophies. The former Liverpool captain revamped the Rangers squad and led them to the knockout stages of the Europa League two seasons running before lifting the league title in his third season in charge.

This season, the club faltered early on and missed out on qualification for the Champions League but are currently at the top of the Premiership table, hopeful of progressing in the Europa League and have already booked a place in the semi-finals of the League Cup.