Steven Gerrard sacked as Aston Villa manager on team bus

Steven Gerrard was sacked by Aston Villa fewer than two hours after his side crashed to a disastrous 3-0 defeat to Fulham with the club now looking at Mauricio Pochettino, or potentially Brentford’s Thomas Frank as possible replacements.

The former Rangers boss was on his way back from the humbling loss at Craven Cottage on the team bus when the phone call came informing him that he had lost his job.

The club issued a brutal 41-word statement at 10.45pm after Gerrard had completed his post-match press conference when he had admitted his future was on the line, in which a 19-word comment from a ‘club spokesman’ thanks him for his efforts. There was no mention of either the owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, or chief executive Christian Purslow.

The travelling Villa fans called for his sacking during the game and there were suggestions some of the club’s hierarchy walked out the directors’ box before the final whistle.

Villa said in a statement that Gerrard had left with “immediate effect” and later confirmed that four members of his staff –Gary McAllister, former Blackpool manager Neil Critchley, Jordan Milsom and Scott Mason – had also been dismissed.

A Villa spokesman said: “We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.” Villa play Frank’s Brentford side at home on Sunday.

On Friday night Gerrard released a statement thanking "everyone connected to Aston Villa for the support shown to me during my time there.

"To the fans, it is regrettable that it didn't work out in the end, but I owe you a debt of gratitude for the way you welcomed me into your club, and continued to push the team on during difficult times. Aston Villa is a club with a special history. I really wanted to bring back those memorable achievements, unfortunately it wasn't to be. I wish everyone at the club all the very best for the future.

Klopp urges Gerrard to take break from football

Jurgen Klopp has backed Steven Gerrard to bounce back from the disappointment of being sacked by Aston Villa once he has taken a break from the game.

The Liverpool manager revealed he had spoken to the Anfield legend on the morning after his sacking and is certain Gerrard will return to management at some point.

Gerrard has often been regarded as a future Liverpool manager but Klopp believes he should take some time out of the game to himself to "re-charge" his batteries.

"I'm very very sure he will come back from that," said Klopp. "In my seven years with Liverpool we didn't meet very often for different reasons - first he was in  America - but when he was [coaching[ at the Academy obviously we could create a closer relationship and I obviously followed him since.

"We had a little  exchange this morning but nothing too deep and not a long conversation but I can imagine it is a disappointment for him because of the ambitions he had and the things he wanted to achieve at Aston Villa.

"Obviously it is not cool for him but I don't think we need to worry about Stevie. He knows the game long enough and he knows these kind of things can happen.

"We all get knocks here and there and it is all about how you respond and we all know Stevie. He always came back and he will come back from this no doubt  about that."

Klopp pointed to the example of many of the top managers who have been sacked at some point in their career but bounced back to enjoy success elsewhere.

"Things like this can happen and a lot of great managers out there had to leave their previous clubs for different reasons," he added.

"Some of the best did that quite frequently in their career and showed up somewhere else and learned from it, found a better situation, whatever, and he will be back 100 per cent."

Cries of 'We want Gerrard out' during dismal performance

The Villa fans at Craven Cottage chanted “We want Gerrard out” during the game and Gerrard did not approach them on the long walk off at the end of the game. The game included a red card after a Var review for midfielder Douglas Luiz for butting Aleksandar Mitrovic. Fulham’s third goal was put into his own net by Tyrone Mings, capping a dismal evening.

Gerrard had left full-back Matty Cash out the side having selected him against Chelsea at the weekend. Cash came on at half-time and conceded a penalty from which Mitrovic scored the second. Harrison Reed scored the first before the break.

Gerrard said it had been “extremely tough”. “But you have known me for a long time and football is in my DNA, quitting certainly not so we will see what happens moving forward. But the performance tonight was miles away from what I wanted, what I expected, what I stand for. I could feel the fans’ frustration.”