Steven Gerrard sets Matt the Targett of challenging Lucas Digne

The left-back immediately found himself out of the starting XI after Digne arrived in a £25million deal from Everton earlier this month.

But Gerrard has been impressed by Targett’s reaction and has challenged the 26-year-old to make life uncomfortable as possible for his new team-mate.

Despite tentative interest from Newcastle, Villa have no interest in letting Targett leave this month with Gerrard keen to build a squad with two quality players in each position.

He explained: “I’m the lucky one because I’ve got two top class left-backs. Matt’s pedigree, we believe he’s a really strong Premier League left-back.

“To have Lucas Digne and Matt Targett makes my life and my job a lot easier so we’re delighted with that.

“We’ve set the challenge and the gauntlet to Matt to take the fight to Lucas for the position and during the month of February the games are going to come thick and fast so we’re going to need two top left-backs. That’s the way I see it. I’m happy with having both options.

“The reaction from Matt from coming out of the team has been top class but we expected nothing different because he’s been really good since we’ve come in.”

Villa remain in talks over a deal for Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.