• Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard looks dejected following a 3-0 Premier League defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on October 20, 2022 in London, England. Gerrard was sacked by the Villa board shortly after. Getty Images
    Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard looks dejected following a 3-0 Premier League defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on October 20, 2022 in London, England. Gerrard was sacked by the Villa board shortly after. Getty Images
  • Steven Gerrard shakes hands with Aston Villa player Ashley Young at the final whistle. Getty Images
    Steven Gerrard shakes hands with Aston Villa player Ashley Young at the final whistle. Getty Images
  • Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham celebrates with teammate Harrison Reed after scoring their side's second goal. Getty Images
    Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham celebrates with teammate Harrison Reed after scoring their side's second goal. Getty Images
  • Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard looks on from the touchline. Getty Images
    Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard looks on from the touchline. Getty Images
  • Fulham's Harrison Reed scores their first goal. Reuters
    Fulham's Harrison Reed scores their first goal. Reuters
  • Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard looks dejected after the Premier League match at Craven Cottage. PA
    Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard looks dejected after the Premier League match at Craven Cottage. PA
  • Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham shoots under pressure from Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa and Ashley Young. Getty Images
    Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham shoots under pressure from Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa and Ashley Young. Getty Images
  • Neeskens Kebano of Fulham celebrates after Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa scored an own goal to make it 3-0 to the home side. Getty Images
    Neeskens Kebano of Fulham celebrates after Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa scored an own goal to make it 3-0 to the home side. Getty Images
  • Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard. Getty Images
    Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard. Getty Images
  • Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, right, and Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic battle for the ball. PA
    Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, right, and Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic battle for the ball. PA
  • Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz walks off the pitch after being shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver. AP
    Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz walks off the pitch after being shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver. AP

Steven Gerrard sacked by Aston Villa after Fulham defeat


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

Aston Villa said manager Steven Gerrard has left the club "with immediate effect" following Thursday's 3-0 defeat to Fulham.

Defeat at Craven Cottage was Villa's sixth in 11 Premier League games this season and leaves them above the relegation zone on goal difference.

Gerrard led Villa to a 14th-place finish last term but had been expected to push the Midlands club higher up the table in the new campaign.

However, the former Liverpool and England midfielder has paid the price for poor form with Villa having registered only two wins in the league and on the receiving end of a chastening loss at Fulham.

“Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that head coach Steven Gerrard has left the club with immediate effect,” read a Villa statement.

“We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.”

Gerrard admitted he was in a “very difficult position” straight after Villa’s hefty loss in south west London.

The former Rangers manager insisted he would not quit his role but was shortly given no choice in the matter as Villa’s board acted swiftly to remove him.

Harrison Reed, Aleksandar Mitrovic and a Tyrone Mings own goal handed Fulham their comprehensive win in London on Thursday night.

Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz is sent off by referee Michael Oliver. PA
Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz is sent off by referee Michael Oliver. PA

Villa had Douglas Luiz sent off just past the hour, on an evening to forget in the capital.

“I’ve been sending messages to the fans for the last few weeks because I certainly share their frustration and their pain,” said Gerrard in his post-match press conference.

“I’m someone who is honest. I know that they’re not enjoying it at the moment – I’m certainly not – so we’ll see what happens moving forward.

“But you know and I know I’m in a very difficult position right now.

“We’ll see what happens moving forwards. But football is in my DNA and quitting is certainly not, so we’ll see what happens moving forwards.”

Gerrard succeeded Dean Smith as Villa manager in November 2021 after leaving his role at Rangers.

But the 42-year-old led Villa to only 13 wins from 40 games during his 11 months in charge.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel are among the names being linked to replace Gerrard.

Pochettino was dismissed by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer after guiding the French giants to the Ligue 1 title while Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea on September 2 following a Champions League t Dinamo Zagreb.

Aston Villa next face Brentford at home on Sunday.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

Results
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EElite%20men%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Amare%20Hailemichael%20Samson%20(ERI)%202%3A07%3A10%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Leornard%20Barsoton%20(KEN)%202%3A09%3A37%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Ilham%20Ozbilan%20(TUR)%202%3A10%3A16%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Gideon%20Chepkonga%20(KEN)%202%3A11%3A17%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Isaac%20Timoi%20(KEN)%202%3A11%3A34%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EElite%20women%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Brigid%20Kosgei%20(KEN)%202%3A19%3A15%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Hawi%20Feysa%20Gejia%20(ETH)%202%3A24%3A03%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Sintayehu%20Dessi%20(ETH)%202%3A25%3A36%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Aurelia%20Kiptui%20(KEN)%202%3A28%3A59%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Emily%20Kipchumba%20(KEN)%202%3A29%3A52%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Neymar's bio

Total club appearances 411

Total goals scored 241

Appearances for Barca 186

Goals scored for Barca 105

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Structural%20weaknesses%20facing%20Israel%20economy
%3Cp%3E1.%20Labour%20productivity%20is%20lower%20than%20the%20average%20of%20the%20developed%20economies%2C%20particularly%20in%20the%20non-tradable%20industries.%3Cbr%3E2.%20The%20low%20level%20of%20basic%20skills%20among%20workers%20and%20the%20high%20level%20of%20inequality%20between%20those%20with%20various%20skills.%3Cbr%3E3.%20Low%20employment%20rates%2C%20particularly%20among%20Arab%20women%20and%20Ultra-Othodox%20Jewish%20men.%3Cbr%3E4.%20A%20lack%20of%20basic%20knowledge%20required%20for%20integration%20into%20the%20labour%20force%2C%20due%20to%20the%20lack%20of%20core%20curriculum%20studies%20in%20schools%20for%20Ultra-Othodox%20Jews.%3Cbr%3E5.%20A%20need%20to%20upgrade%20and%20expand%20physical%20infrastructure%2C%20particularly%20mass%20transit%20infrastructure.%3Cbr%3E6.%20The%20poverty%20rate%20at%20more%20than%20double%20the%20OECD%20average.%3Cbr%3E7.%20Population%20growth%20of%20about%202%20per%20cent%20per%20year%2C%20compared%20to%200.6%20per%20cent%20OECD%20average%20posing%20challenge%20for%20fiscal%20policy%20and%20underpinning%20pressure%20on%20education%2C%20health%20care%2C%20welfare%20housing%20and%20physical%20infrastructure%2C%20which%20will%20increase%20in%20the%20coming%20years.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: October 21, 2022, 4:38 AM