Tyrone Mings reacts to being stripped of Aston Villa's captaincy

Steven Gerrard made a surprise call to introduce John McGinn as his side’s new skipper.

Tyrone Mings has insisted he holds no grudge against Steven Gerrard for stripping him of his Aston Villa captaincy.

Villa confirmed John McGinn as their new skipper, with Emiliano Martinez becoming the team’s vice-captain.

Mings had become Villa’s captain after Jack Grealish left the club to join Manchester City last summer. The England international must prepare to fight for his place in Gerrard’s squad after the arrival of Diego Carlos.

However, he says the decision to change Villa’s captain won’t affect his relationship with Gerrard.

“For me this isn’t about John or I. It’s about what’s right for Aston Villa,” Mings said on Twitter.

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

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What has Gerrard said?

McGinn featured in 35 Premier League appearances for Villa last season, scoring three goals and providing four assists.

Explaining his decision to give Villa’s captaincy to the 27-year-old, Gerrard told the club’s official website: “John has demonstrated that he is ready to take on the captaincy through his performances on the pitch combined with his attitude and application in training.

“He is a popular member of the dressing room who sets high standards and expectations of himself. Emi is a respected senior member of the squad while Ashley Young’s experience speaks for itself. He is the perfect ambassador for the first team.

He added: “Naturally, I have had to have a discussion with Tyrone 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.”