How Burnley will transform under Steven Gerrard if appointed - 2 big changes are expected | OneFootball

How Burnley could change if Steven Gerrard is appointed as the next manager

Burnley’s time in the Premier League will come to an end later this month when the 2025-26 season concludes.

The Clarets earned promotion with 100 points last season, coming second to Leeds United in the Championship by virtue of goal difference.

The Lancashire outfit will already be planning for life back in the second tier, as they aim to earn promotion back to the top flight straight away.

But they'll be doing it without Scott Parker, who was sacked on April 30 after talks with the club's hierarchy - he took over in East Lancashire in the summer of 2024 following Vincent Kompany’s move to Bayern Munich and won promotion at the first attempt, but was unable to have Burnley seriously push to survive in the top flight.

It was reported prior to Parker's sacking that Steven Gerrard was in the frame to succeed him at Turf Moor, and he's likely to be a top contender for the role now it's vacant.

Here, we look at the changes the former Aston Villa boss could implement to transform Burnley under his management (all stats reference from Fotmob)...

A greater emphasis on possession

Of the 20 teams currently competing in the Premier League, Burnley rank last for the average possession held per game.

The Clarets’ have 41.5 per cent of the ball in the top flight under Parker, which is something that Gerrard will want to turn around next season if appointed.

The midfielder oversaw Rangers’ title win in 2021, and the team had an average possession of 65.7 per cent on their way to a first title in 10 years.

Parker’s side in the Championship last year ranked fourth for average possession, with the Clarets holding 56.9 per cent of the ball on their way to second, which was the fourth most of any side in the division.

That part of their game was eroded in the top flight, with the 45-year-old unable to maintain the team’s style of play as they jumped up from the second tier.

Gerrard will be keen to ensure this part of their play is brought back, and potentially even a bigger part of their style compared to 2024/25.

With James Ward-Prowse set to leave once his loan stint ends, and the future of Florentino Luis unclear despite the fact the Clarets are obligated to purchase the Portuguese midfielder on a permanent basis, players with greater attacking thrust could be sought to enact this change in style.

When Rangers won the title in 2021, Rangers ranked second for set piece goals with 14, with only Celtic scoring more (15).

Meanwhile, Burnley have scored just seven goals from set pieces in the Premier League this season, which puts them 19th in the division.

Set pieces, corners in particular, have become a massively important part of the game in the top flight, and Gerrard will have seen that firsthand from his recent return to punditry.

The Clarets only scored the eighth most goals from set pieces in their promotion campaign in the Championship under Parker, with a total of 14.

In comparison, Derby County scored 22 times from dead balls in 2024/25.

Set pieces were once an important area of the game at Burnley under Sean Dyche, and that could be an area that Gerrard looks to bring back into focus at Turf Moor, should he replace Parker.

While losing Ward-Prowse with his expiring loan spell may hurt this plan, the club still have the likes of Jaidon Anthony and Jacob Bruun Larsen to swing in corners, whilst Zian Flemming provides a threat from direct free-kicks.