Klopp on Gerrard’s return to Anfield
Watch Jürgen Klopp’s pre match interview ahead of Liverpool’s game against Aston Villa in the Premier League. Klopp talks about Steven Gerrard’s return to Anfield as Villa’s manager.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Line-ups
Liverpool
Aston Villa
Gerrard to Face Defeat
#1
All four of Liverpool’s most recent encounters at Anfield have also seen them come up trumps – scoring 12 goals and conceding a grand total of zero in the process – and not even the hectic winter schedule appears capable of stopping Klopp’s ruthless machine.
#2
All the highs and the lows of Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool career will dominate the pre-match talk before the Anfield encounter kicks off, with the former Champions League-winning Red returning to his old home and desperate to get one over his former club. Gerrard’s bright start to life in the West Midlands must not be overlooked either, as a double from centre-back Ezri Konsa saw Villa claim a 2-1 win over FA Cup holders Leicester last weekend, cancelling out Harvey Barnes’s opener for the Foxes.
#3
Scottish Premiership-winning manager Gerrard has seen an immediate upturn in fortunes at Villa with three wins from four since taking the reins, and even in their defeat to champions Manchester City did they give Pep Guardiola’s men a good run for their money.
#4
Villa have now risen to 10th in the table amid their recent hot streak, with Gerrard’s only away game so far ending in a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace, and the visitors certainly know what it takes to leave the Liverpool supporters shell-shocked.
#5
Reds players may still be having nightmares about that infamous 7-2 humiliation at Villa Park last season, although they won 2-1 at Anfield back in April and are going in search of a fourth Premier League home win on the bounce versus Villa this week.
DPP Verdict
Gerrard is yet to completely shore up this Villa defence, and a first-choice Liverpool XI – many of whom are well-rested – will likely give the visitors a harsh dose of reality on Saturday. There can be no room for sentimentality upon Gerrard’s return to Anfield, but his side are highly unlikely to compete with a near full-strength Liverpool team away from home.
