Next Aston Villa boss: Options and odds for Steven Gerrard replacement – Ruben Amorim favourite to take over, Thomas Frank and Sean Dyche also contenders

Aston Villa are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Steven Gerrard following the club's defeat to Fulham on Thursday night.

The west Midlands outfit are only above the relegation zone on goal difference after they were thumped 3-0 by the Cottagers.

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The former Liverpool midfielder was in the Villa Park post for just a year, having left Rangers last November to replace Dean Smith.

But after a 14th place finish in the Premier League last season, his side only managed two wins out of their opening 11 games despite a significant outlay on transfers in the summer.

Here's who is in line to replace him...

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Thomas Frank

Villa are admirers of the Brentford manager, talkSPORT understands.

Brentford have been one of the biggest success stories in football over recent years, having been in League Two as recently as the 2008/09 season.

Danish coach Frank initially joined the Bees as an assistant in 2016, before taking full time charge two years later and overseeing their rise to England's top division.

Villa's sporting director Johan Lange is a fellow Dane and is thought to be an admirer of his compatriot's work at the London club.

Frank is under contract at Brentford until 2025 but there has been talks reported over a possible extension to secure his future.

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Ruben Amorim

The Portuguese manager was previously linked with the vacant post at Wolves following his impressive work in charge of Sporting Lisbon.

Amorim’s ascent to the top of the managerial game has been rapid after being appointed as Braga reserve boss in September 2019.

Four months later the ex-Portugal midfielder was given the first team job and by March 2020, Sporting had swooped to sign him - making him the fourth-most expensive manager ever.

Amorim’s contract carries a £16.75million release clause, by far the biggest in the history of Portuguese football.

But the 37-year-old soon showed his worth by guiding Sporting to the title for the first time in 19 years and he has since masterminded a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the Champions League this term.

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Sean Dyche

Villa could decide to stick to appointing their fourth successive English manager after Gerrard, Dean Smith and Steve Bruce.

Dyche has been out of work since he was sacked by Burnley in April, and has been linked to jobs at both Leicester and Bournemouth.

The 51-year-old gained a lot of plaudits for his near-decade stint at Turf Moor, which included two promotions in three seasons.

Of all of the options to succeed Gerrard, Dyche is perhaps the least-experienced in matching Villa's ambition for European football but the best fit for their current plight.

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Unai Emery

The Spaniard has rebuilt his reputation at Villarreal following a disappointing stint at Arsenal after succeeding Arsene Wenger.

Emery's name is synonymous with the Europa League - a competition Villa had hoped to qualify for either this season or next - after winning the trophy four times.

His Villarreal side also made a stunning run to the Champions League semi-finals last season in a run which saw them eliminate Bayern Munich before falling to Liverpool.

Emery's short tenure at Arsenal remains the only significant blotch on his record and he could be eager to prove doubters wrong.

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Mauricio Pochettino

It was already said to be an ambitious move to convince Pochettino to join a relegation-threatened club after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.

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Despite that, Tim Sherwood believes there is ‘no bigger club out there’ for the former Tottenham boss than Villa right now.

But it’s understood he is not interested in succeeding Gerrard.