Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris was 'furious' and walked out during the Premier League defeat to Fulham, according to reliable journalist Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Gerrard sacked after defeat

The Villains produced a hapless performance at Craven Cottage on Thursday evening, losing 3-0 and leading to the sacking of Steven Gerrard straight after the game.

It has been a hugely below-par start to the season for Villa and it only felt right for the Liverpool legend to be sent packing after seemingly losing the squad.

Sawiris is an owner who wears his heart on his sleeve and it seems clear that the Fulham game was the final straw for him.

The Latest: Sawiris left 'furious'

Writing on Twitter on Friday, Preece shared that Villa's co-owner was seething at what he saw from the directors' box:

"Understand Nassef Sawiris furious with what he witnessed tonight and walked out of the directors' box after Douglas Luiz's red card. Christian Purslow quickly followed after Mitrovic made it 2-0."

The Verdict: Right decision

Sacking Gerrard was a correct decision on NSWE's part, with the 42-year-old backed in the transfer market but not delivering enough positive results.

In many ways, it is encouraging to hear how passionately Sawiris reacted to the performance on Thursday, with some owners accused of not caring enough.

He will be hurting about Villa's form, though, and it is now vital that he picks the correct man to come and in replace Gerrard in the Villa Park hot seat.