'That's on you' - Steven Gerrard fires warning to Aston Villa players ahead of Brighton clash

Steven Gerrard has warned his Aston Villa players that they must motivate themselves to finish the 2021/22 Premier League season in a positive light.

Villa have struggled to maintain the positive form they showed under Gerrard when the former Rangers boss arrived in the Midlands back in November.

He made an encouraging start to life as a Premier League manager having won four of his first six games in charge, but a recent poor run of form has blotted his first three months at the Villa helm.

Back-to-back defeats against Newcastle and Watford have followed Villa's failed attempts at beating other clubs beneath them on the league table including Brentford and Leeds since the turn of the New Year.

And Gerrard has demanded that his players respond next time out against Brighton at the Amex at the weekend.

"It’s not difficult for me to motivate the players," Gerrard said.

"But motivating yourself comes from within. That’s on you as a footballer."

Brighton themselves are in a challenging run of form, having last won a league game at home on Boxing Day.

Graham Potter's Seagulls lost 3-0 to Burnley on Saturday and will host Gerrard's side after losing back-to-back league games for the first time this season.