Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard will not be afraid to implement change at the club as he has ‘already shown’ he is capable of doing so, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Mixed start to life at Villa Park

The 41-year-old took charge at Villa Park in November, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal as he replaced Dean Smith, who was sacked after a run of five successive defeats which left the club 16th in the Premier League table.

Gerrard enjoyed a fantastic start to life at his new club, as Villa won four of his first six games in charge. However, the Midlands outfit have suffered a tumultuous time more recently, winning just once in their previous eight matches. This has resulted in them dropping down to 12th in the table.

The Villa manager has shown that he is unafraid to make big calls this season. Left-back Matt Targett was replaced by £25m signing Lucas Digne, whilst star striker Ollie Watkins was recently dropped to the bench in favour of Danny Ings.

Watkins scored three goals and provided one assist in his first six league games under his current boss, but the 26-year-old has struggled to find the back of the net of late.

The Latest: Gerrard unafraid to make changes

O’Rourke has weighed in on the situation, making a claim on the 41-year-old’s ruthless management style at Villa Park.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist claimed: “I think it’s just Gerrard trying to keep the players on their toes, and he won’t be afraid to make a few changes, as he’s already shown.”

The Verdict: Gerrard knows what he’s doing

Fans may be getting worried with Villa’s recent form, which has experienced a massive drop-off when compared with results immediately following Gerrard’s arrival. However, despite being in 12th place, the Villains are only six points behind Brighton in ninth, with a game in hand over Graham Potter’s side, so the picture could look much rosier before long.

Having only been at the club for three months, it is too early to make a definitive judgement on Gerrard. As he has shown, he will not be afraid to make daring changes to the team as he figures out the best tactics for his strongest XI.

The 41-year-old is no managerial slouch, having guided Rangers through an entire league campaign unbeaten as they romped to the Scottish Premiership title last year, and it's good to see that he's willing to change things up at Villa if he feels it is necessary, rather than accepting an unsatisfactory status quo.

In other news: A recent report has hinted at the probability of a permanent deal for Philippe Coutinho