LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND (REUTERS) – Steven Gerrard’s return to Anfield as Aston Villa supervisor led to a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool with a 67th minute Mohamed Salah penalty holding the Merseysiders a degree behind Premier League leaders Manchester Metropolis.
There was little fanfare for Gerrard, the Liverpool-born former captain and Champions League winner, as he took his place within the technical space earlier than the sport and caught together with his strategy of treating the sport like another.
Even on the remaining whistle, when Liverpool followers lastly broke right into a refrain of his identify, Gerrard, on the pitch shaking fingers with gamers and officers, made no reciprocal gesture, saving his applause for Villa’s visiting assist.
Requested in regards to the response from the Liverpool followers to his return, Gerrard was ice chilly.
“For me the precedence is the assist from the Aston Villa followers,” he mentioned.
It was knowledgeable strategy from Gerrard, one which confirmed respect for his new membership and their supporters and he could have added to his rising repute as a supervisor from the best way he set his staff as much as frustrate Juergen Klopp’s facet.
It was a conservative strategy, with Ollie Watkins taking part in as a lone striker supported by veteran Ashley Younger and a financial institution of three midfielders sat in entrance of the again 4, however it succeeded in limiting Liverpool’s house.
Inevitably although, Liverpool dominated the primary half with Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez doing properly to maintain out a back-post header from Andy Robertson and a close-range shot on the close to put up from Salah.
After the break, Martinez produced a superb reflex cease to maintain out a strong header from Virgil van Dijk however Liverpool’s stress lastly paid off when Salah went down within the field beneath problem from Tyrone Mings.
The Egyptian fired dwelling an unstoppable spot-kick after protests from Villa. Gerrard felt that the choice was “delicate” and was puzzled that referee Stuart Attwell didn’t go to the pitchside monitor to overview the choice.
The Villa supervisor threw on ahead Danny Ings and the attack-minded Emiliano Buendia in a bid to discover a late leveller and the best way his facet put stress on the Liverpool defence within the latter levels left him questioning what may need been had he taken a extra optimistic strategy earlier.
Villa claimed in useless for a late penalty when Ings went down as Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker challenged leaving Gerrard annoyed.
“I believed Liverpool had been higher by way of basic play. Their type was higher than ours, however we have executed so properly to comprise them for big intervals. Finally the sport has been determined by a penalty. There have been two penalty incidents within the sport, Liverpool obtained theirs,” he mentioned.
Klopp conceded his staff had misplaced their manner after taking the lead.
“For 75 minutes we had been excellent. Clearly the higher facet and performed in all of the areas we would have liked to play. We created moments,” mentioned the German.
“However we go 1-0 up and… Argh. Then the sport opens up, let me say it like this… We misplaced the rhythm. That is an issue in soccer so you need to maintain it from the start.”
Liverpool are on 37 factors with leaders Metropolis, who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 earlier on Saturday, on 38 factors and third-placed Chelsea on 36 factors.
