Aston Villa are being strongly tipped to install former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier as their new manager on Wednesday (Villa 12/1 – Top 4 Finish).

The Frenchman has emerged as the front runner for the Villa hot seat after meeting with club owner Randy Lerner, while former West Ham boss Alan Curbishley and caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald have also been interviewed.

Martin O’Neill plunged the Villans into crisis by resigning just days before the start of the Premier League season, with the Northern Irishman seemingly at odds with Lerner over transfer policy.

Houllier’s arrival looks set to be confirmed after France’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo on Tuesday, with the 63-year-old calling time on his spell as technical director with the French Football Federation.

Houllier will get extra time to assess his squad this week as Villa are not in Premier League action until Monday when they make the trip to Stoke City (Stoke 11/8, draw 11/5, Villa 13/8 – 90 minutes).

Villa have won two of their three league games so far this season but were hammered 6-0 at Newcastle and have also failed to reach the group stage of the Europa League again.

If Houllier’s appointment is rubber-stamped, as expected, he will make an emotional return to Liverpool at the start of December.