BRENDAN RODGERS has leapt to the defence of former rival Steven Gerrard after he was sacked by Aston Villa.

The ex-Celtic manager shared his 'bitter disappointment' after news broke that his former Liverpool player had been relieved of his duties.

Gerrard was sacked by Villa chiefs last night after a 3-0 defeat to Fulham.

The result leaves the club languishing in 17th in the Premier League with just nine points from the opening 11 matches.

But despite the tricky start to the season, Rodgers defended Gerrard as he bemoaned the lack of "stability and patience" for managers.

Insisting Gerrard would have turned things round had he been given more time in the Villa dugout, Rodgers said: "I’m bitterly disappointed for Steven, of course, because he did a fantastic job up at Rangers.

"He got the opportunity to come to the Premier League and I assume ambitions are to be up there in European football.

“It just seems the way of it now that every day a manager is losing his job or under threat to lose their job. Stability and patience seems to be running out in football.

"So I’m really, really disappointed because I believe given time and with that patience he could have got them to where he wanted them to be and where the club wanted to be."