Steven Gerrard can make Aston Villa 'really hard to beat' with one transfer

Former Aston Villa captain Nigel Reo-Coker believes Steven Gerrard's side can become a "really hard team to beat" if they sign a holding midfielder this summer.

Since Marvelous Nakamba went off injured at Anfield against Liverpool in December last year, Villa have lacked a true defensive midfielder to screen their back four.

That is evident in the goals they've conceded. In five matches that Nakamba started after Gerrard arrived in November, the side conceded just four goals, including clean sheets against Brighton and Hove Albion and on Merseyside while the Zimbabwe international was still able to be on the pitch.

In the nine matches following that setback, eight plus the just over half an hour after the midfielder was off the pitch at Anfield, have seen 13 goals shipped in total across all competitions.

The former Villa midfielder has highlighted that area he knows all too well as somewhere that his former side are currently short.

"Villa are doing OK," Reo-Coker told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.

"I think they are a holding midfielder short. A few more acquisitions and they'll be up there.

"One thing is very important for where they are trying to get to, they need a prolific goalscorer.

"Steven Gerrard knows the importance of creating a really competitive environment; you don't want players to be comfortable. You need to rotate.

"They want to compete on every front, winning cups, so getting a holding midfielder who can win the ball and give to players in dangerous areas, it can make you a really hard team to beat."

Last month, the January transfer window saw Villa widely linked with Yves Bissouma, making a late bid that was turned down by Brighton, and more recent reports have also suggested that Leicester City 's