Steven Gerrard never experienced a six-match losing streak during 17 years as a player in England yet this is exactly what he must prevent in his first match as Aston Villa manager.
The former Liverpool and England captain takes charge of a squad with their confidence on the floor after five defeats in a row, the last of which — a 1-0 loss at Southampton on November 5 — led Villa to sack Dean Smith and send for Gerrard, who signed a three-and-a-half-year deal.
He will inherit a talented but flawed squad. The 41-year-old will have money to spend in January but before that he must navigate a meeting with Brighton a week tomorrow before tackling fixtures against Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Leicester and Liverpool.
The trip to Anfield on December 11 will make Gerrard’s heart beat a little faster yet Villa’s performances in the games before then may define his first season. Here Sportsmail looks at what Gerrard will find as he settles into the job.
Steven Gerrard is walking into a side that has lost their last five league games in a row
The former Rangers boss has a tricky run of fixtures before he can spend in January
Defensive problems
After conceding only 46 goals last season, Villa have already let in 20 in 11 games this term.
Switching between a back three and back four has unsettled the players and in the last five games alone they have leaked 13. Gerrard will study footage of those matches and is likely to settle on a single defensive system at first. At Rangers he preferred a back four.
Right back Matty Cash and centre back Ezri Konsa have the qualities to prosper under Gerrard, who improved Rangers’ defence significantly after taking over in 2018. The Ibrox club kept 26 clean sheets in the League last season, conceding just 13 goals.
Gerrard was one of English football’s great leaders during his playing days and should recognise those qualities in Tyrone Mings, a rare vocal presence in a quiet dressing room.
Villa have conceded 20 goals in 11 games having only conceded 46 goals last season
Misfiring signings
Villa used the British record £100million they received from Manchester City for Jack Grealish to sign three attacking players — Emiliano Buendia, Danny Ings and Leon Bailey.
Ings managed three goals in nine games before picking up a hamstring injury, record signing Buendia has flickered without catching fire and Bailey has spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch.
Ings had a close relationship with Gerrard
