Carragher predicts Gerrard's decision amid Aston Villa interest

Jamie Carragher has tipped Rangers boss Steven Gerrard for the vacant Aston Villa job - with the ex- Liverpool defender admitting it would be "a great move" for his former Reds team-mate.

Gerrard has won admirers for his impressive work in Scotland since his appointment over three-and-a-half years ago, and that has put him in the frame for the Villa job.

Villa axed Dean Smith after three years at the helm on Sunday afternoon following a run of consecutive defeats.

Gerrard was recently linked with the Newcastle job, only for him to shoot down speculation by insisting that he's happy at Ibrox.

Despite Gerrard's recent comments, Carragher feels potential interest from Villa would test that stance - although he admitted that ideally, Gerrard would remain in Scotland until the end of the season to wrap up another title win.

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"I think Aston Villa as a club would be a great move for Steven Gerrard, but the situation that he finds himself in right now is that he took the title off Celtic last season and he is in a great position to win it again," Carragher told Sky Sports.

"I think in a perfect world you would want to stay at Rangers until the end of the season and come away from there with two titles."

Gerrard's appointment was the catalyst for Rangers to finally halt Celtic 's domestic stranglehold over Scottish Football, with Rangers thwarting their rival's bid to win 10 league titles in succession.

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And with Rangers already four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League, they look well placed to clinch back-to-back league titles following a long drought prior to Gerrard's arrival.

But whether or not the prospect of further domestic success is enough to entice Gerrard to turn down a return to the Premier League remains to be seen.

The Telegraph reports that Gerrard and Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl are the two names who have been earmarked by the Villa Park hierarchy.

And although Gerrard refuted any talk of a move to Newcastle, there are no guarantees he wouldn't be swayed by Villa's interest, with the club on a much more stable footing than the Magpies at present.

Ironically, Hasenhuttl oversaw Southampton 's 1-0 win over Villa on Friday night - the result that proved to be terminal for Smith.

Smith guided Villa back to the Premier League via the play-offs during his first year in charge before narrowly avoiding relegation the year after.

Smith steered Villa to an 11th placed finish last term, but his side have struggled to adapt to life without former talisman Jack Grealish following his record-breaking £100million transfer to Manchester City this summer.

Villa are currently slumped in 16th position, just outside the relegation zone, following their abject start to the season.

But despite Villa's current league position, Carragher has insisted that Gerrard "won't get many better offers" than the role at Villa Park - and also refuted claims that Gerrard should wait for a return to his beloved Anfield.

"People talk about Liverpool. That might be two or three years with Jurgen Klopp," Carragher added. "You won't get many better offers than Villa but in a perfect world I think he wants to come away from Rangers with another two or three trophies."