Steven Gerrard touted as next England manager following Aston Villa sacking

Darren Bent has claimed on talkSPORT that Steven Gerrard could very well be up for the England job following his sacking as Aston Villa manager.

The ex-Liverpool midfielder was relieved of his duties on Thursday, following a 3-0 thrashing by newly-promoted Fulham to cap off a torrid run of form, with Villa only winning one of their last eight.

As Villa search for a new manager, Gerrard will also surely be waiting for his next opportunity to prove his managerial skills.

The former midfielder has 114 caps for his country from his playing days, and captained them at the 2010 World Cup.

England will be heading into the World Cup in Qatar with Gareth Southgate as manager off the back of semi-final and final finishes in the two previous tournaments.

Southgate's plans following the World Cup though are unclear, despite signing a contract extension until 2024 in November last year.

His previous contract was set to expire following this year's World Cup tournament, but his future seems uncertain, and the team's performance this winter will surely have a part to play in it.

Ex-Spurs striker Darren Bent seems to think that The FA would consider Gerrard as a candidate for the job, saying on talkSPORT Drive: “It wouldn’t surprise me if he was one of the candidates for the England job next.

“I’m not saying that he should get it, but you know what the FA are like. They like people who have been in the system before.

“He’s obviously played for England and he’s very much a company man, isn’t he?

“It wouldn’t surprise me. I just think that he could be one, certainly.”

As a manager, Gerrard won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, but seemed to struggle for consistency after moving to the Premier League with Aston Villa.

He was sacked just hours after the final whistle on Thursday, as his Villa side fell to defeat at Craven Cottage, where they were also reduced to 10 men following Douglas Luiz's dismissal.

Aston Villa currently sit at 17th in the Premier League table with only two wins so far this season.