ASTON Villa boss Steven Gerrard insists Burnley do more than just “fight and compete” ahead of his side’s trip to Turf Moor. The Clarets have won their last three matches as they bid to beat the drop and maintain their Premier League status. Gerrard has been impressed with what he has seen from Mike Jackson’s men in recent weeks and is expecting a tough test in East Lancashire.
Steven Gerrard said: “Burnley have got their own style and identity, but I think it’s very disrespectful to say that Burnley just fight and compete. I’ve watched their last three or four games and they’ve got really good technical players. They’ve got a really strong mentality within the group and they’re desperate to stay in the Premier League. If they achieve that, they’ve probably punched above their weight compared to other teams but that’s none of my business. My business is to take maximum points off Burnley tomorrow. We’ve analysed a good, strong team that are on a new manager bounce, but my priority is to make sure Aston Villa go there and get the win.”
Villa are currently 13th in the league table – six points above the Clarets, who have played an extra game. Gerrard is determined to finish the season strongly and build momentum heading into the summer.
Steven Gerrard added: “We want to finish in a place where we can be satisfied – I don’t think we’re going to be happy or celebrating anything this season because the team, from the beginning of the season to now, has underachieved. In the remaining games, it’s about putting ourselves in a place that we can go and build on. We can try and strengthen in the coming window, have a positive pre-season and reset everything going into a brand new season. Those are the short-term priorities.”
