Steven Gerrard’s 30th game in charge, and first home game of the season, sees him under real pressure to get a result against a team Villa put three past without reply under Dean Smith this time last season. 

Gerrard’s pre match view provides a typically curious mixed message from a manager whose instructions to his players often seem equally as muddled. 

“I must also say that taking over from a local person who had a lot of success here was difficult from a personal point of view. But I think after a couple of windows and six months in the job I think it is fair people say ‘Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa’ because we have had time to shape it and get it close to how we want it to look and put our own stamp on it.” 

Hopefully Gerrard didn’t *really* mean 9 points from a possible 36 was part of the plan. 

Villa are now without a win in five and have recorded just two wins in their past twelve under Gerrard. 

Matty Cash makes his 70th appearance in a Villa shirt after joining from Forest in September 2020 to make it W27 D10 L33, 4 Goals, 6 Assists, 16 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.