Paul Merson admits fears over Aston Villa's ambitious Steven Gerrard pursuit

Aston Villa may struggle to convince Steven Gerrard to give up his job at Rangers to become Dean Smith's successor, according to Paul Merson.

Villa sacked Smith on Sunday after the 1-0 loss against Southampton made it five successive Premier League defeats for the team, who are now 16th and just two points above the relegation zone.

He had been in charge for three years, bringing the club up from the Championship in his first season before achieving 17th and 11th-place finishes in the top flight.

Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said the decision was taken due to the lack of "continuous improvement in results, performances and league position" and so the club would have time to find a successor over the international break.

Gerrard has been installed as the early favourite with the bookmakers, ahead of the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry, Roberto Martinez, Paulo Fonseca and Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand.

Gerrard has been with Rangers since 2018 and after winning the Scottish Premiership last season he has them top once again, four points ahead of rivals Celtic after 13 matches.

Former Arsenal midfielder Merson believes that, while Villa represents a huge opportunity for Gerrard, he may find it difficult to leave Rangers at this stage of his career.

"It's going to be hard to prise Steven Gerrard away. He's managing a massive club in Glasgow Rangers," Merson wrote for Sky Sports.

"He's got them buzzing again; he stopped Celtic winning 10 in a row, they are in the Europa League, and they've got a chance of winning the Scottish Premiership.

"It's a bit of a juggling act for Gerrard because Celtic look as though they are coming back now. They've got the new manager in; they've bought into his ideas and they are moving up the table.

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"There is no forgone conclusion in the Scottish title race this year and, given the nature of football, if Celtic went on and won it this year everything from the year before is almost forgotten.

"Everyone wants to manage in the Premier League. That is no disrespect to the Scottish Premiership. Rangers and Celtic are bigger clubs that probably half of the teams in the Premier League.

"But it's the Premier League, and when you start out managing, I'm sure in the back of people's minds if you could get a job like Aston Villa - wow."

BBC Sport reports that Gerrard is high on Villa's shortlist for the vacant position and that Purslow's knowledge of the 41-year-old could play a significant role in the coming days.

Purslow was appointed as managing director at Liverpool in June 2009 and was involved with the club until February 2011 - a time when Gerrard was the Reds' captain.

However, Villa are only at the beginning of their recruitment process, and with 11 days until the club's next Premier League game against Brighton on November 20, they have the benefit of time.