Steven Gerrard: I'm excited by the pressure of proving myself at Aston Villa

The 42-year-old will today come face-to-face with former international team-mate Frank Lampard when Villa host Everton, both men looking to show they can be successful in the dugout in the English top flight.

Gerrard, who made more than 700 appearances for Liverpool as a player, is determined to be now be judged purely on his managerial record, revealing yesterday how he turned down the chance to become Steve Bruce’s assistant at Villa in late 2016, shortly before his retirement as a player.

He explained: “I turned a lot of opportunities down because I felt they were coming off the back of a playing career and not necessarily on me being ready for coaching or management.

“Speaking completely for myself, I have that extra determination to prove to people that I can be a success as a manager.

“In certain people’s minds they believe you’re given certain jobs and offers on the back of a playing career.

“It plays a part – of course it does – your leadership skills are there for everyone to see when you play. But I made it abundantly clear that I wanted to start at the beginning on my journey.

“I’d like to think I’ve done my apprenticeship. Whether that’s long enough in other people’s opinions I don’t know but I certainly turned a lot of opportunities down.”

Gerrard coached in Liverpool’s academy after hanging up his boots, before accepting the job as Rangers boss and successfully ending Celtic’s near decade-long dominance north of the border. He replaced Dean Smith at Villa last November and after nearly two transfer windows, knows the pressure is on to deliver improvement this term.

He said: “I think after a certain time, it should be said like that. When you first come into a job during a season, it can be extremely challenging.

“Taking over from a local person who had a lot of success here was difficult from a personal point of view.

“But I think after a couple of windows and six months in the job I think it is fair people say this is Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa because we have had time to shape it and get it close to how we want it to look and put our own stamp on it.

“Every Premier League job has pressure and responsibility, is tense. That is exciting for me. I don’t see it as a weight, I don’t carry it as a weight. I see it as an incredible opportunity. As a player I loved responsibility.

“If you are involved with big clubs in big games I think you are in the right place. If people want to talk this is Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa and the pressure and responsibility around that, I am OK with that.”