Former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has surprisingly been identified as a potential frontrunner for the newly available Carlisle United job. Gerrard has recently found himself out of work after Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq parted company with him, but reports have emerged suggesting that Carlisle could approach him and offer the Liverpool legend an immediate path back into work.

Carlisle sacked their manager, former Wolves defender Mike Williamson, on Monday having brought in a host of new signings in their bid to remain in the EFL; they've added 12 new faces this window, including former Newcastle defender Paul Dummett, but remain bottom of League Two with five wins in 28 and five points adrift of safety.

They were bought in 2023 by American businessman Tom Piatak, who is desperate to keep the club in the Football League and is considering an admittedly unlikely effort to tempt Gerrard to Brunton Park and become the club's third manager of the season.

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Gerrard joined Villa when leaving Everton in the autumn of 2021 when replacing Dean Smith, but within a year he'd been sacked, leaving the club facing a relegation scrap. Since, successor Unai Emery has guided the club to the Champions League.

Gerrard won the SPL title with Rangers and spent 18 months in Saudi with Al-Ettifaq, where he worked with the likes of Demarai Gray, Georginio Wijnaldum and Moussa Dembele, but he was sacked last week after two league wins in 14.