Aston Villa sack Steven Gerrard after defeat to Fulham
Aston Villa have sacked Steven Gerrard as manager.
Following a poor run of form for the club, a 3-0 defeat against Fulham prompted the decision to remove the former England midfielder from his position.
Villa have won just two matches in the Premier League so far this season, and sit just above the relegation zone.
In a statement, the club said: “Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that Head Coach Steven Gerrard has left the club with immediate effect.”
A club spokesman added: “We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.”
After taking Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title for the first time in 10 years, Gerrard’s impressive start to his managerial career saw Villa move to appoint him in November 2021.
Having replaced Dean Smith, the hierarchy at Villa Park were hoping for an upturn in fortunes, but watched as the club finished last season in 14th place in England’s top tier – three positions lower than the previous campaign.
A 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Bournemouth on the first day of the current season gave warning signs that a tricky campaign may be on the way.
Victory in their first home match against Everton settled some nerves, but only momentarily, as a three-match losing streak followed.
A draw at home to Manchester City restored some optimism, but failure to beat fellow strugglers Leeds and Nottingham Forest saw Gerrard’s position as manager come under growing scrutiny.
Defeat to Fulham was unthinkable if Gerrard was to stay in charge, so it was of little surprise to see the parties part ways after the defeat.
Speaking after the match, Gerrard said: “Football’s in my DNA and quitting’s certainly not so we’ll see what happens moving forward.
“The performance tonight was miles away from what I wanted, what I expected, what I stand for. I can feel the fans’ frustration. It was so far away from how we looked at the weekend. We’re in this situation and I’m in this situation to face the tough questions because the reality is, it’s not good enough for this club,” he added.
Even at only 1-0 down at the break, Gerrard was unimpressed, telling Prime Video: “I got in and among the players at half-time hoping for a reaction. The performance was nowhere near good enough. The first half shocked me after what we had seen.
“I’m in a position and will try to find the answers but I will not disrespect my players. We just did not turn up tonight – it’s very difficult to praise them after this performance.”
Failure to beat fellow strugglers Leeds and Nottingham Forest in recent weeks, matched with their latest defeat to Fulham, has led to some sections of the Villa faithful asking the club to sack Gerrard
Speaking about the stance of some supporters, Gerrard says: “It’s tough. I’m a man, I accept it, I feel their frustrations, I’m frustrated. It was a tough night for me personally.
“We will see what happens. I’m a fighter, I will never, ever quit anything whether it’s football or in life.”