Steven Gerrard has said Aston Villa must start “walking the walk” if they are to achieve a top-half finish after being backed by the club’s billionaire owners to revamp the spine of his team.
Villa have made five signings, including Philippe Coutinho on a permanent deal, and Gerrard is hopeful of adding an attacking midfielder.
Gerrard has replaced Tyrone Mings as captain, with John McGinn given the armband, and the manager hopes his decision allows the England defender to rediscover his best form.
Villa’s recruits, including the Brazilian defender Diego Carlos, have impressed during pre-season but Gerrard knows their Premier League opener at Bournemouth on Saturday will provide a true gauge of the club’s progress. “It’s about walking the walk now,” Gerrard said. “It’s very difficult to gauge in pre-season whether you’ve improved or not from last season, but finishing 14th for Aston Villa wasn’t acceptable.