Fresh transfer interest as Steven Gerrard makes exciting Aston Villa pledge

Steven Gerrard will up the ante for Aston Villa’s huge showdown in Perth against Manchester United tomorrow in front of 62,000 fans. The head coach is expected to play a full-strength team and has promised hour-long showings for certain individuals.

In his press conference, Gerrard said of tomorrow’s last tour match in Australia : “We’ve had a longer session this morning so we can have the afternoon off and try to freshen up for tomorrow. We’re looking forward to the game and it’s the last push of the tour. The tour has been fantastic so far and we want to finish on a high.

“We’re a couple of weeks out now from a really important start to the season, so we need to turn the dial now. We’ll introduce slightly more game time to individuals now because it’s the right time and they’re ready now because they’ve got the right volume in their legs to really push certain individuals."

The new season aims

Steven Gerrard has delivered his three-point plan for Aston Villa for the season ahead. The head coach wants Villa to really upset the top six, push for a European place and to improve the club’s home form.

The head coach was alongside chief executive Christian Purslow at a plush Q&A dinner at the River View Rooms at the Optus Stadium last night ahead of Saturday’s friendly in front of a sell-out crowd of 62,000. At that event - which cost $150 a ticket - Purslow outlined how he hopes Aston Villa will make a statement next season and push for European qualification.

Gerrard, meanwhile, was asked about the pressure of kicking on from 14th last season to going for Europe for the years ahead, and said: “I’ve always embraced pressure, that’s why I went into management. I want to be at clubs that have internal targets. I want to