Steven Gerrard has stripped Tyrone Mings of the Aston Villa captaincy.

The Englishman has given the captain’s armband to Scotland midfielder John McGinn.

Gerrard said: “Naturally, I have had to have a discussion with Tyrone Mings and have explained my reasons for making this decision.

“More importantly, I believe that not having the responsibility of the captaincy will allow Tyrone to focus more on his own game which can only benefit him and the team.”

29-year-old Mings took to social media to respond to Gerrard’s decision, in which he said: “For me this isn’t about John or I, it’s about what’s right for Aston Villa.

“I have no issues with the manager’s decision; I’ve loved leading this team. Anyone who knows @jmcginn7 knows how infectious he is and it will be an honour to play underneath his captaincy.”