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‘He has been perfect for me’: Gerrard is already a big fan of ‘fantastic’ Aston Villa star
Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has heaped praise on Ashley Young for his impact over the last two games in the Premier League.
The Villans appointed the legendary Englishman as their new manager a little over two weeks ago. Gerrard has since taken charge of two games, and Villa have managed to win both fixtures.
The common theme in each of Gerrard’s two wins so far is Young’s impact. The versatile 36-year-old came off the bench against Brighton and picked up an assist. He was handed a start against Palace as a reward and impressed again with another assist.
Gerrard was quizzed about his compatriot and he has claimed that Young has been ‘perfect’ for him since his arrival earlier this month.
Aston Villa boss Gerrard: Ashley Young is fantastic
Gerrard said in his press conference today, as per : “He’s shown fantastic leadership around the training ground.
“He’s a standards setter. The young lads look up to him and he’s got a big part to play. He is someone we have to manage because we have to respect where he’s at.
“He’s been perfect for me and us as a group of staff. When you come into a new club, you need players in the dressing room you can lean on to be an outer version of your staff to send the right messages and to lead in the right way. Ash has been fantastic.
“I thought he was terrific at the weekend, but it’s no surprise to me. Not only have I competed against Ash but I’ve shared a dressing room with him for England, so I was very much aware that he’d help me. I’m really looking forward to working with him moving forward.
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The Athletic revealed after Villa’s win against Brighton that Gerrard was blown away by how good Young had been in training. The veteran has backed it up in games as well, which is an excellent sign.
Going by Gerrard’s words, it does seem like Young will play a big part under him this season. He may even get a new deal if he keeps performing the way he has been, which would arguably be the best thing for all parties involved.
Villa face Manchester City in the Premier League tomorrow and that will be Gerrard’s toughest test yet.
However, if he can outwit Pep Guardiola and pick up a result, Aston Villa fans will have every reason to be optimistic about the future, even more than they already are.
