Steven Gerrard's former Aston Villa colleague Neil Cutler has backed the Liverpool legend to return to the Premier League as a manager in the near future.

The former Rangers boss was sacked by Villa back in November last year and since then he has failed to return to management.

Gerrard has been linked with a number of jobs in the Championships as well as Besiktas in Turkey and the Polish national team vacancy, but nothing has come to fruition.

But Aston Villa goalkeeper coach Cutler has backed his former manager to bounce back straight into the Premier League.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “He’s got so much to offer. As a serial winner, he’s been there and done it. His desire to achieve, his desire to move forward – coupled with his knowledge and experience – will only benefit a team eventually.

“He’ll get back in it [the Premier League]. I’m not sure where that will be. Because of how much desire he’s got, he’ll just continue to move forward. He’s not the kind of person that’s like: ‘I’m Steven Gerrard, I’m just going to make it.’ 

“He’s got an unbelievable drive. He’ll get back in it [the Premier League] eventually and I’m sure he’ll do really well.

“I think with Stevie, he’s got so much knowledge and he’s still really young for a manager. While he was manager of the football club [Aston Villa], we were really unlucky with injuries at the time. 

“I think he was at Villa for around about a year and I really got to know him quite well. He’s a really caring, kind guy that will do anything for you. What he does on the pitch, he does as a manager. 

“He wears his heart on his sleeve and is just desperate to win games. [He’s got] a lot of knowledge and a lot of experience of football and so much to give and this next job is going to come round for him when he’s ready and he’ll move forward again.

“He did so well at Rangers and he’s got so much to offer as a person, as a personality and as a coach.”

Culter also hailed the job of Michael Beale at Rangers, adding: “I only worked with him for less than a season, but it was evident that his knowledge of the game is excellent.

“He knows exactly what he wants and how he’s going to bring it across and he’s very good at that. 

“The way he plans meticulously [and] his detail with the way he wants his teams to set up and how they’re going to beat the opposition is very good.

“It was only a matter of time before he was going to be a manager himself and he’s destined to achieve big things because of his drive to achieve and detail within that.”