Manchester City vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result and reaction after Ilkay Gundogan goals seal title

Steven Gerrard has lost 11 of his 26 Premier League fixtures as Aston Villa manager, equalling his total number of defeats in 118 league games in charge of Rangers

Villa have also won just one of their 21 Premier League away games against the league leaders - three draws, 17 defeats - they beat Leeds United 2-1 in January 2000.

There’s no Mo Salah in the Liverpool line-up but he does make the bench for Jurgen Klopp’s men. There are seven changes from the team that beat Southampton as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson return to the back line. In midfield Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita replace Curtis Jones, James Milner and Harvey Elliott whilst Takumi Minamino and Roberto Firmino drop out in favour of Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz.

Bruno Lage swaps out two players for Wolves as Leander Dendoncker and Jose Sa return to the starting XI in place of John Ruddy and Hwang Hee-chan.

Pep Guardiola makes two changes to the City team that drew with West Hamlast time out. Jack Grealish and Oleksandr Zinchenko drop out with John Stones and Phil Foden preferred.

Steven Gerrard also makes tow changes to his Aston Villa side. Emi Martinez and Carney Chukwuemeka are replaced with Robin Olsen and Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Konate, Robertson, Henderson ,Thiago, Keita, Jota, Mane, Diaz

Wolves XI: Jose Sa, Boly, Coady, Gomes, Jonny, Dendoncker, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Ait Nouri, Pedro Neto, Jimenez

Man City XI: Ederson, Stones, Fernandinho, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Jesus, Foden

Aston Villa XI: Olsen, Cash, Chambers, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins, Coutinho

The days when Liverpool needed to rely on Steven Gerrard are long gone. No one at Anfield should expect anything from him today.

The Aston Villa manager takes his team to the Etihad and if he can stop Manchester City winning then Jurgen Klopp’s men will have a chance to finish on top of the Premier League – assuming Liverpool can beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in front of the Kop. Gerrard carried his boyhood club for more than a decade but was unable to win the title. That is a source of regret to the 41-year-old.

The closest that Liverpool came to winning the league in the Gerrard era was eight years ago when Brendan Rodgers’ team were in pole position going into the final week of the season. Gerrard’s slip against Chelsea that allowed the London club to go into the lead in their 2-0 victory has become the stuff of folklore. Those of a romantic disposition among the Liverpool fanbase have been imagining a denouement where Villa nick a point or more in Manchester and earn redemption for the man from Huyton. It’s doubtful that Gerrard would feel vindicated: there’s not much romance without the medals.

Liverpool are unbeaten in all six of their final-day fixtures under Jurgen Klopp, winning each of the last five and the Red are the only side in the top five European leagues yet to lose a league match in 2022.

Liverpool have won the 10 most recent Premier League meetings between the sides keeping eight clean sheets in that run.

Wolves have also lost 17 of their last 19 top-flight matches at Anfield, with the exceptions being 1-0 victories in January 1984 and December 2010.

Pep Guardiola has joked Manchester United fans should wear Manchester City shirts as his side look to hold off Liverpool and retain the Premier League title.

This season has been a tough watch for United supporters, with frustration at their own side’s inconsistency exacerbated by the fact their two most bitter rivals have been duelling for the title.

When it comes to choosing between the lesser of two evils, however, it would appear a majority of United fans would rather that – albeit through gritted teeth – City pipped the Merseysiders.

Victory for Manchester City will secure their eighth top-flight title. It would be their sixth Premier League title, the second most after Manchester United’s 13, and their fourth in five seasons.