Steven Gerrard: Aston Villa must find balance
Steven Gerrard admits he must find the balance between targeting a strong finish to the season and giving Villa’s fringe players a chance during the Premier League run-in.
Villa head to Leicester on Saturday with changes expected as the boss looks to halt a run of four straight defeats, midfielder Marvelous Nakamba pushing for his first appearance since returning from a knee injury.
Gerrard believes his team can still achieve the club’s top half finish in more than a decade but with an important summer transfer window looming, accepts there are players in the squad who want the opportunity to impress.
He said: “I've got to get the balance right and think about the now in terms of finishing the season as strong as we can.
“I see it as an opportunity to try and finish in the top-10 which I see as a real positive because it hasn't happened for many years here.
“At the same time, I want to give people opportunities, I want people to see people that they haven't seen much, people that have been injured or people who haven't had opportunities to play.
“But I can only give them opportunities and be true to them if they deserve it on the training pitch. As a manager you pick the players that you trust and who you think are the best players to get you the results that you need.”
Winger Bertrand Traore, Villa’s third highest scorer last season, is among those who have struggled for game time due to injury. The Burkina Faso international has made just seven Premier League appearances.
