Steven Gerrard takes charge of his first FA Cup match as Aston Villa head coach on Monday night.
And ahead of the Third Round tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Gerrard faced questions from the media on Thursday afternoon.
Here’s what he had to say…
On team news…
“Ollie Watkins is due back with the group on Saturday, so that will be a welcome addition. Tyrone Mings comes back from suspension – he’s fit, well and available.
“Ashley Young’s got an outside chance. He’s got a frustrating one where he’s still got a little bit of discomfort in his fractured toe, but he’s doing everything he can to get back as quick as he can.
“The rest is as it was. We’ve come through Brentford with no major injuries. Kortney Hause has had a bit of tightness after the game, but that’s settled down and he trained today.
“Assuming the last couple of COVID tests go well, we should be in good shape.”
When asked about Leon Bailey, he said: “He’s good, he’s working hard. We’re four and a bit weeks post-injury and he’s progressing well, stepping up his rehab as the days go by. He’s focused on getting back in the best possible way.
“It was an injury in a similar area to the first one, so we have to be careful and respect that, and make sure that when he is fit and available that he’s ready to play.”
On his FA Cup ambitions…
"We’ve been given a really tough draw - to go to Old Trafford in the opening round. There were certainly kinder draws out there for us, but you get what you’re given.
“You have to prepare your team in the best possible way. Any time you go to Old Trafford with the level of player they’ve got, you know you’re going to be in for a really tough game.
“We’ll go there with the strongest possible team we’ve got available to try and get the best result we can.”
On recruitment…
“We came to the club in November and we’ve had to learn on the job, to analyse on the job, within games and within training.
“We’ve been here for around about eight weeks, so we have a much better idea of what we feel we need not just in this window but in the summer window.
“For me, it’s about making the right decisions – not rushed decisions that are going to be forced. It’s important that we identify the areas first and foremost and then work together as a club to see when they (transfers) can happen.”
On playing Manchester United…
“It’s very much about us. Eight weeks into the job, it’s important that we give all our focus and our attention to ourselves in our preparation.
“We’re still trying to make Aston Villa the best we can be, we’re still trying to improve our identity and our philosophy here.
“Whatever team Manchester United put out, it will be a challenge for us because they’ve got top class players throughout the squad.
“We can’t control what team they play or who we’re going to face. For us, it’s about going there in the best place we can and giving the best account of ourselves.”
