STEVEN GERRARD vowed to be fearless when he faces the Premier League’s top managers.
The new Aston Villa boss, 41, cannot wait to battle Manchester City chief Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp — with clashes against both in the next month.
Gerrard, who makes his Prem dugout bow at home to Brighton on Saturday, said: “The bigger the size of the challenge, the more excited you should be.
“This is the best league in the world. It’s because the best teams are in there and the best coaches.
“We all accept it’s a tough, challenging league but that excites me rather than scares me and I’m ready to prove I’m the right man for this job.
“A lot of people will put added pressure on my shoulders but I can’t wait.
“This is where I want to challenge myself.
“When I came through the ranks my dad said to me ‘Be fearless — front it’. I’m not going to change.
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“I was very happy to see at the training ground the word ‘fearless’ up as one of the club’s values. It is a major trait we have to have.”
Gerrard – who has overseen some bizarre rules already at Villa – made clear he does not see the club as a stepping stone to managing Liverpool one day.
He said: “It’s unfair. You’ll never hear me say that. There’s nothing wrong with having dreams.
“But Liverpool have a world-class coach and if he was to sign a lifetime deal I would be very happy for them and him.”
