Aston Villa boss Gerrard insists Cooper 'deserves time' at Nottm Forest after 'unique' summer
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard believes Steve Cooper 'deserves time' at Nottingham Forest amid their poor start to the 2022/23 campaign.
Gerrard's Aston Villa will take on last-placed Nottm Forest on Monday night in the Premier League.
Cooper has to fight to keep his job as Forest have lost five games in a row. Former Liverpool and Everton boss Rafael Benitez has been linked with the club in recent days but the Englishman is expected to 'stay' in charge for now.
Forest have signed Filippo Giraldi as their new sporting director, but Cooper is expected to lead his side against Aston Villa on Monday night.
Forest returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, but the club raised eyebrows with their aggressive transfer policy, signing a staggering 22 players.
They've spent around £145m on new additions with a few loan additions and free transfers also sprinkled in for good measure.
"Signing so many new players in one window is unique," Gerrard said ahead of his team's trip to the City Ground. "I've never seen or heard of it before.
"From where I am, to think about how you would deal with this and deal with this would be extremely challenging and challenging.
"He [Steve Cooper] deserves the time for it to settle in, for them to get used to the club and the way Steve plays. It takes time."
Gerrard is set to be without Ludwig Augustinsson for Monday's clash after the defender was sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury suffered in Aston Villa's goalless draw with Leeds United at 10 last weekend.
Villa are unbeaten in their last three games and Gerrard has asked his side to keep improving in order to move up from 14th in the standings.
The Villa boss, who expects Matty Cash and Calum Chambers to return from injury on Monday, added: "There has been an improvement but what I will say is we have to keep going. strive for more improvements and better results.
“I felt like the weekend was a missed opportunity to take maximum points, not just on the back of them going down to 10 men, but on the back of the opportunities we have We did enough to win this game.
"We have another opportunity against Forest to leave and try to build on our recent performances and try to get an away win. If we do that we will get closer to the place where we want to be.
"Recent performances have given us a platform, but there's no one inside Villa who thinks we're there. We know we have to keep pushing in every way."
READ MORE: Longest unbeaten start of each PL season, where they finished and who finished it
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard believes Steve Cooper 'deserves time' at Nottingham Forest amid their poor start to the 2022/23 campaign.
Gerrard's Aston Villa will take on last-placed Nottm Forest on Monday night in the Premier League.
Cooper has to fight to keep his job as Forest have lost five games in a row. Former Liverpool and Everton boss Rafael Benitez has been linked with the club in recent days but the Englishman is expected to 'stay' in charge for now.
Forest have signed Filippo Giraldi as their new sporting director, but Cooper is expected to lead his side against Aston Villa on Monday night.
Forest returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, but the club raised eyebrows with their aggressive transfer policy, signing a staggering 22 players.
They've spent around £145m on new additions with a few loan additions and free transfers also sprinkled in for good measure.
"Signing so many new players in one window is unique," Gerrard said ahead of his team's trip to the City Ground. "I've never seen or heard of it before.
"From where I am, to think about how you would deal with this and deal with this would be extremely challenging and challenging.
"He [Steve Cooper] deserves the time for it to settle in, for them to get used to the club and the way Steve plays. It takes time."
Gerrard is set to be without Ludwig Augustinsson for Monday's clash after the defender was sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury suffered in Aston Villa's goalless draw with Leeds United at 10 last weekend.
Villa are unbeaten in their last three games and Gerrard has asked his side to keep improving in order to move up from 14th in the standings.
The Villa boss, who expects Matty Cash and Calum Chambers to return from injury on Monday, added: "There has been an improvement but what I will say is we have to keep going. strive for more improvements and better results.
“I felt like the weekend was a missed opportunity to take maximum points, not just on the back of them going down to 10 men, but on the back of the opportunities we have We did enough to win this game.
"We have another opportunity against Forest to leave and try to build on our recent performances and try to get an away win. If we do that we will get closer to the place where we want to be.
"Recent performances have given us a platform, but there's no one inside Villa who thinks we're there. We know we have to keep pushing in every way."
READ MORE: Longest unbeaten start of each PL season, where they finished and who finished it
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