Gerrard vows to make more changes to Aston Villa's squad this summer

Steven Gerrard will make further changes to Aston Villa's squad this summer as he challenged his players to prove they can be part of the club's future.

After winning only one of their last eight league games, Villa have lost momentum following their positive start under Gerrard and are seven points above the relegation zone ahead of the trip to Brighton.

Gerrard is thought to be prioritising central defence and central midfield when the transfer window re-opens and he will be backed again by Villa's billionaire owners.

'This club has not finished in the top 10 for more than a decade (since 2011), so that is still a possibility,' said Gerrard. 

'We need to finish the league in a positive place and then, when we have another option to strengthen the team and squad we will take that opportunity. We will move the team forward.

'My standards will always remain high and the players have seen that. I believe the players can put this current run of form right.

'In terms of the winning mentality and where I want to take this team, I need to continue to push. At the beginning of the Rangers job we did have setbacks, we had bumps in the road.

'That is when you learn about your players and identify the areas of the squad which need changing at the next possible chance. We have identified areas of the team where we need to get better.'

Gerrard must also improve an attack that drew blanks in the last two games, which ended in defeats by Newcastle and Watford.

Ollie Watkins was left out of the starting XI against Watford with Danny Ings playing as the central striker, but Gerrard's change did not bring about the desired result.

He added: 'All players have a dip in their careers at different times. Ollie will bounce back and bounce