In Focus: The favourites to replace Gerrard at Aston Villa

The search for Aston Villa’s next manager is under way following Steven Gerrard’s dismissal.

Gerrard, 42, was axed last night after less than a year in charge following a disappointing start to the season.

With the Midlands outfit sitting 17th, a place below where they were 11 months ago when Gerrard was hired, their ambitious owners will be desperate to get the next appointment right.

We look at the favourites to replace Gerrard at Villa Park.

Thomas Frank

Thomas Frank is currently in talks over a new deal at Brentford but Villa sporting director and fellow Dane Johan Lange may fancy his chances of luring him away.

Frank’s Bees predecessor Dean Smith left for Villa back in 2018, while they also poached Ollie Watkins from West London in 2020.

But with Frank since establishing Brentford as a Premier League side, who currently sit seven places above Villa in 10th, it might not be the obvious upward move it once was.

Ruben Amorim

The more left-field choice, Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim is reportedly among Villa's list of candidates.

The highly-rated Portuguese tactician, 37, was recently linked with the vacant manager’s post at Midlands rivals Wolves.

He won Sporting their first league title in 19 years in 2021 and guided them to Champions League qualification last season, beating Tottenham in the group stage earlier this term.

Mauricio Pochettino

Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino was thought to be Villa’s first choice but the early reports suggest he will turn them down.

The out-of-work Argentine has been tipped for a return to England but with the Manchester United and Chelsea vacancies recently passing him by, Villa may well be one of the better options outside of the big six.

Securing Poch would undoubtedly be a significant appointment, meaning the Villans could be prepared to wait to see if he has a change of heart after the World Cup.

Unai Emery

Former Arsenal and current Villarreal boss Unai Emery was Newcastle’s top pick before they appointed Eddie Howe last year.

His time at the Gunners ended badly but he has since guided the Yellow Submarine to an unlikely Europa League triumph in 2021 and they reached the Champions League semi-finals last season.

But given the Magpies’ wealthy owners could not convince the 50-year-old to return to England, selling the Villa project to him may take some doing.

Sean Dyche

An unattractive style of play was one of the key criticisms of Gerrard’s tactics, meaning pragmatist Sean Dyche may prove an underwhelming choice among the Villa Park faithful.

But with last night’s disastrous 3-0 defeat at Fulham plunging Villa into the midst of a relegation battle, there may be few better to guide them to safety than the former Burnley boss.

The Clarets punched well above their weight in the Premier League for six years under the 51-year-old and his phone will surely be busy as the battle to avoid the drop intensifies.