Journalist Dean Jones has given his verdict on Mauricio Pochettino potentially replacing Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Pochettino rumours

Gerrard appears to be under slight pressure at Villa Park following a disappointing start to the season, although some of that pressure was eased following a 1-1 draw with Manchester City last time out.

The Athletic journalist David Ornstein told the Overlap Review that Pochettino ‘would consider’ taking charge of a club outside of the Premier League’s top six when asked about the Argentine and Villa.

Reports before that claimed that the former PSG and Tottenham manager is on Villa’s list, should they decide to part ways with Gerrard.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Jones said that Pochettino ‘would have to seriously think about’ joining Villa, should the opportunity present itself.

“I think Pochettino has to be open-minded, himself, about his next job now.

“A club like Villa – which has plenty of room for elevation, a great fanbase and a lot of history – is a club he would have to seriously think about at the moment, given that there aren’t that many jobs out there.”

The Verdict: One to watch

The longer Pochettino remains out of work, speculation could continue to grow, especially if Villa’s results don’t improve quickly.

Gerrard has won just 12 of his 35 matches as Villa boss, so anything less than three points against Southampton on Friday evening may only pile the pressure on when it comes to his future. Many seem to believe Pochettino could be open to the idea of joining a club like Villa, making this one to watch.