Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard is seeking improvement from his attack.

Philippe Coutinho is yet to score or create a goal this season and his performances have come under increasing scrutiny, with his and Gerrard's former Liverpool team-mate Jamie Carragher claiming the 29-year-old looked "a shadow" of his former self during Monday's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

Gerrard claims the playmaker has acknowledged he must improve, saying: "Phil knows he can be better. He has been open and said that himself.

"But he is not the only one. From an attacking point of view we are getting to really good areas of the pitch.

"It is more than Phil in the final third who has to step forward in the final third. Once we get that from the big players, the big names, I am sure we can move up the league.

"Had we got it at Nottingham Forest we would be talking about sitting ninth in the table. That is the frustrating thing."