Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard is looking to raid his former club Liverpool for reinforcements in January, according to reports.
Villa haven’t dropped a point since the Anfield icon’s arrival but he is insistent they must improve, highlighting the backline as an area that needs to be strengthened.
The West Midlands club have the third-worst defensive record in the Premier League but only so much of that can be corrected on the training ground, with additions seen as key if they are to continue their progress under the new manager.
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According to The Mirror, one man under consideration is Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez.
Gomez has made just two substitute appearances this season, having slipped down the pecking order following the arrival of Ibrahima Konate.
He also suffered a major injury last season, which sidelined him from November onwards. Gerrard is keen to offer him a chance to reignite his career.
The Kop legend has the necessary connections and Gomez is thought to be eager to play regular football again, but the question is whether Jurgen Klopp will sanction a departure, even if it’s just on loan.
Gerrard is adamant that “there is a lot of work still to do” at Villa Park.
“Our first-half performance was excellent, I thought in a lot of departments we were top,” he said after Saturday’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace.
“We have Man City to come so we can enjoy tonight but we will go to work as soon as we can tomorrow to prepare the team.
“We know it will be tough but we will give it our best shot. We are pleased with the start we have made but there is a lot of work still to do.”
He added: “I was really pleased to see the fans in full voice at the end of the game. Two wins in two and six points from six, so I’m really pleased for them.
“We made sure all the players went over to thank them for coming today. We’re going to need them in full voice again on Wednesday.
“It’s a great start. There’s a lot to build on, a lot to work on, but I’m sure they’ll enjoy their journeys home today.”