Aston Villa have decided to part company with manager Steven Gerrard, according to a report.
The 42-year-old's position at Villa Park has come under pressure in recent weeks following a poor start to the 2022-23 campaign.
Villa have won two, drawn three and lost five of their first 10 Premier League fixtures this term and they are currently languishing in 16th place in the table, just one point above the relegation zone.
Gerrard, who replaced Dean Smith in November last year, saw his side put together a four-game unbeaten run, including three draws, prior to the 2-0 defeat at home against Chelsea on Sunday.
The former Rangers manager recently admitted that he 'loves' the pressure as Villa boss and is comfortable with the high expectations both the club and the fans have for his side.
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"I came here with big expectations for myself and a lot of belief. There should be expectations on me and this group. I'm only fine with that if it is realistic," Gerrard told reporters last week.
"We continue to try to be the best we can be and move up the league. Expectations and pressure are all part of the job. We have got owners and a board that are extremely ambitious, that's the pressure I've got, and I love it.
"We're competing in the most brutal and tough league out there. I can't demand time or keep asking for it, I have got to deliver. The quicker I can do it, the better."
However, Gerrard's tenure in the Villa dugout has allegedly come to an end, as Football Insider claims that the club's hierarchy have decided to sack the Englishman with immediate effect.
The report adds that Villa are keen to appoint a successor by the end of the month, with Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery both identified as potential replacements.
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Pochettino is currently out of work after he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, despite guiding the French giants to the Ligue 1 title last season.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton boss has been linked with a number of jobs since his dismissal, but he would allegedly be open to taking the reins at Villa Park.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal boss Emery is currently in charge at La Liga outfit Villarreal, where he is out of contract next summer.
The 50-year-old won the Europa League with the Yellow Submarine in his first season at the club in 2020-21 before guiding them to the Champions League semi-finals last season.
If reports are to be believed, Gerrard is set to become the fourth Premier League manager to lose his job this season after Scott Parker, Thomas Tuchel and Bruno Lage.
Oliver Thomas
