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.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
78 mins: If Manchester City can hold onto this lead they’ll take a four point lead over Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. It’ll also be their sixth consecutive Premier League victory.
Leander Dendoncker goes in the ball for a lunging tackle on Rodri in Wolves’s final third.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
75 mins: Jack Grealish’s day is done and Kevin De Bruyne gets a run out for Manchester City. That’s not a bad change to make is it?
That penalty was Raheem Sterling’s 100th goal in the Premier League. Sterling is the 32nd player to reach this total in the competition, and the eighth-youngest at 27 years and 3 days.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
72 mins: Grealish has a shot blocked from inside the area but the ball bounces into the path of Bernardo. He shoots and forces a sharp save out of Jose Sa from close range. The ball rolls behind and City win another corner that Wolves manage to scramble clear.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
69 mins: Hwang Hee-Chan has been brought on by Bruno Lage replacing Adama Traore to lead the line for Wolves on the counter-attack.
Chance! Bernardo Silva sends the ball up to Sterling on the right wing and he fires an early cross into the box. Gabriel Jesus misses the ball but it bounces up for Jack Grealish who pokes it over the crossbar!
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Line-ups
Coming up at 3pm, Liverpool host Aston Villa. Here’s a look at both teams:
Liverpool XI:
Aston Villa XI:
GOAL! Man City 1 - 0 Wolves (Sterling, 66’)⚽️
66 mins: Raheem Sterling steps up and coolly knocks the ball down the middle. The deadlock is broken and Manchester City have the lead at the Etihad.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
65 mins: The replays on VAR look as though the ball struck Moutinho on the armpit not the arm. It’s taking a whil to come to the decision but it stands! Penalty to Manchester City.
Penalty to Man City!
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
63 mins: Bernardo Silva whips a cross into the box from the right side and strikes Joao Moutinho on the right arm. His arm is in the arm flailing wildy and Jon Moss points to the spot.
VAR is going to look at it.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
61 mins: Sterling vs Ait-Nouri round two. The Manchester City forward drives into the box from the right and the Wolves defender steps across him. He doesn’t win the ball this time and knocks Sterling over but City still aren’t awarded a penalty and Sterling looks bewildered as to why not.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
59 mins: Pep Guardiola makes the first substitution of the game as Phil Foden comes on to replace Ilkay Gundogan.
Zinchenko hits one on the volley from just outside the Wolves box and fires his effort into the ground. The ball skips off then turf towards goal but Jose Sa gets across to keep it out.
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