Liverpool vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the action as Steven Gerrard returns to Anfield
There was no happy homecoming for Steven Gerrard, no “celebrating like a crazy devil,” no narratives feeding into future ambitions. The man he termed “100 per cent the best player in the world now” saw to that, firing in a low, hard penalty to further Liverpool’s title fight.
Mohamed Salah’s direct goal contribution ticked over to 14 consecutive league games, his 67th-minute winner deflating an Aston Villa side that departed without a shot on target.
The task was not to make it easy for Liverpool, but Gerrard’s men didn’t figure it would be this hard to conjure threat of their own.
The scoreline belied a story of enterprise versus total obstruction, with substitute Diogo Jota missing a glorious chance late on to make that more clear.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
6 mins: Thiago Alcantara attempts to feed Andy Robertson in behind on the left side but Matty Cash manages to get back and intercept the ball for Villa.
They don’t keep it for long though as Liverpool recover possession and Jordan Henderson brings it down the inside right channel. He find Mane in the box who tries to force off a shot and wins a corner.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
3 mins: Close! Liverpool turn over the ball and fly down the right side. Alexander-Arnold whips a cross into the box from the wide area but Matty Cash is there to head it away. Sadio Mane collects the loose ball and runs it back into the box. His floaty pass into the middle of the area is met by Marvelous Nakamba and he does get the ball clear this time.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
Kick off: Aston Villa start the match and knock the ball back to their own goalkeeper. Liverpool press up them high up the pitch but they play out from the back with a pass out to the left wing. Jacob Ramsey threatens to break in behind but he’s clipped by Trent Alexander-Arnold and wins a free kick.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Here come the teams
Steven Gerrard gets a loud round of applause from the crowd at Anfield as he follows his Aston Villa team out onto the pitch. Villa will jump inot the top 10 if they can win at Anfield today.
Following Manchester City’s win in the early kick off Liverpool need to match that results to cut the gap at the top back to just one point.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Klopp on Gerrard
Jurgen Klopp spoke about Steven Gerrard’s return to Anfield today and said that Liverpool would be giving it their all to win the game:
He will come here and want to win the football game. Before [the game], nice shake hands, after, nice shake hands - in between we will go full throttle and he will go full throttle.
“It’s not easy for a world class player to become an outstanding manager but it’s possible. It looks absolutely like Stevie has all the skills you need and I’m really happy for him.”
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Mo Salah scored in all three appearances against Aston Villa last season. He has been directly involved in 22 league goals this season, a Premier League record after 15 matches and has 13 goals and nine assists.
Sterling joins Premier League 100-club as Man City beat 10-man Wolves
It was the type of game against mid-table opposition at the Etihad that Manchester City typically make light work of and this victory, earned by the 100th Premier League goal of Raheem Sterling’s career, will keep the defending champions at the top of the table this weekend, no matter what happens elsewhere. City were good value for their win, too, improving considerably in the second half.
Yet that improvement and the three points only came once Wolverhampton Wanderers had been reduced to 10 men by one of the most ridiculous, self-inflicted sendings-off you are likely to see this season for Raul Jimenez, while the winning goal only came from a debatable penalty that summed up an inconsistent, at times unauthoritative display by referee Jonathan Moss.
Overall, this was a forgettable affair, and only Jimenez’s bizarre red card warrants committing to memory. At the end of the first half, after already being cautioned for a questionable foul on Rodri, Jimenez refused to move out of the way for the subsequent free-kick then immediately intercepted it, inviting Moss to show him a second yellow and a red.
Wolves’ game plan up to that point had produced a dour, lifeless first half that was nevertheless frustrating City’s attempts to break them down and ultimately working in their favour. Jimenez’s sending off ripped that blueprint up and City proceeded to rip Wolves apart, eventually taking the lead through Sterling and dominating against 10-man opponents in a manner not reflected by the 1-0 scoreline.
Mark Critchley was at the Etihad Stadium:
Raheem Sterling joins Premier League’s 100 club as Man City beat 10-man Wolves
Man City 1-0 Wolves: Jimenez sent-off for two bookings in a minute before Sterling’s penalty seals the points
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Gerrard on his return to Anfield
Steven Gerrard is fully focused on Aston Villa’s attempts to win today’s clash at Anfield but says it always brings a smile to his face when he returns to his former club:
Everyone in that stadium will know me well enough to know what I’m about and what I’m going to Anfield for.
“I’m going back to a club where I spent many years and it brings a smile to my face for a couple of reasons.
“One, I’ve got a good relationship with a lot of people at the club. I had a fantastic time there, a really good journey, I’m a local boy.
“It was the team I supported growing up and I will always support that team.
“But at the same time it brings a smile to my face because I’ve got the opportunity to go there and compete against a good team and a good manager and try to win the game. That’s my only focus.”
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa have won three of their four Premier League games under Steven Gerrard, as many as they had in 11 attempts under Dean Smith this season.
Only Southampton have lost more Premier League matches in 2021 than Villa’s tally of 19.
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