Aston Villa next manager odds: Mauricio Pochettino…

Aston Villa next manager odds: Mauricio Pochettino favourite ahead of Unai Emery and Thomas Tuchel

Aston Villa are hunting for a new manager after dispensing of Steven Gerrard’s services in ruthless fashion on Thursday night.

A dismal run of form continued with a woeful 3-0 loss at Fulham that left the Villains sitting outside the relegation zone only by virtue of having netted two more goals this season than lowest scorers Wolves.

Villa have won only two of their first 11 matches so far this term despite a significant summer transfer spend and last night’s abysmal display at Craven Cottage proved to be the final straw, with Gerrard dismissed shortly after the full-time whistle as fans vented their anger in west London.

“We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future,” the club said in a short statement.

Gerrard spent just 11 months at Villa Park after succeeding Dean Smith in November 2021, winning 13 of his 40 matches in charge.

Early favourite: Could Mauricio Pochettino be tempted to take over at Aston Villa? (REUTERS)

Attentions now swiftly turn to the business of appointing the Liverpool and England legend’s successor, with reports suggesting that Villa owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris are ready to pay a huge salary in order to attract an elite-level coach.

Pochettino has been strongly linked with the job for several weeks now, with the former Tottenham and Southampton boss out of work since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in July and waiting for an opportunity in England, Spain or Italy having turned down the chance to go back to France with Nice.

Sitting behind Pochettino in the early betting is Unai Emery, the ex-Arsenal manager who has rebuilt his career back in LaLiga with Villarreal and almost returned to the Premier League with Newcastle last year.

Former Gerrard assistant Michael Beale seems an unlikely choice after he only yesterday turned down Wolves in order to stay with Championship leaders QPR, though could he view this job as more enticing over the longer-term, having worked there already?

Thomas Tuchel is also listed as a contender after being dismissed by Chelsea in September, with Brentford boss Thomas Frank also said to be in the running along with Sean Dyche, who left Burnley after 10 years in April.

Southampton’s perenially under-fire Ralph Hasenhuttl, beloved ex-Leeds coach Marcelo Bielsa, Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knudsen and Chelsea icon/youth coach John Terry - who finished his playing career at Villa and later served as assistant manager - are all outsiders in the betting at this stage.