Aston Villa v Burnley - Match preview

Less than an hour after the final whistle had blown on Tuesday’s 2-0 win at Norwich, the 41-year-old was already switching the focus to tomorrow’s visit of Burnley.

Gerrard’s decision, in the aftermath of last weekend’s loss at Liverpool, to make public his target of taking six points from matches against the Canaries and Clarets raised some eyebrows. In the Premier League, such pronouncements can often set managers up for a fall.

Yet Villa won comfortably at Carrow Road and if they can follow it up with another victory against 18th-placed Burnley they will reach Christmas in the top half of the table, a scenario which would have been considered fanciful when Gerrard was appointed five weeks ago with the club sitting just two points clear of the bottom three.

“We are very pleased with our points total,” said Gerrard. “We want to keep trying to win games and get as many points as we can.

“Now the focus turns to Burnley. I am sure Villa Park will be in full voice and will get right behind us. We want to keep striving to be better and pushing as high up the table as possible.

“We believe the spirit will continue to evolve and grow. What we’ve had is total buy-in from every single player in terms of what we have asked, across the six games I could not have asked for more in terms of effort and application.

“We have not had that much training time and we are getting challenged by the Covid situation as well.”

The loss of several senior players due to positive tests gave the make-up of Villa’s bench at Norwich a rather youthful look.

Yet currently that feels cause for excitement, rather than concern. While 20-year-old Jacob Ramsey, now firmly established as a first-team regular, stole the headlines with a stunning solo goal, 18-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka helped put the result beyond doubt when he set up Ollie Watkins for Villa’s second after coming off the bench.

Chukwuemeka has featured three times as a substitute under Gerrard, who said: “I think we have shown in a short space of time we certainly trust Carney and we will give youngsters the opportunity if they can prove they are good enough on a daily basis.

“We want local young players in this team and I have put the gauntlet down to the academy that it is not just about talent.

“You have to prove you are as good as these first-team players and you have to be obsessed with trying to move them out the way. If they show they want to take those challenges on there will certainly be opportunities given to them.”

Burnley have been tricky opponents at Villa Park in recent years, winning one and drawing two of their last three visits. Sean Dyche’s team have drawn eight of 15 Premier League matches this term.