Steven Gerrard has almost single-handedly guided Aston Villa to Premier League safety – and now he could have a decisive say at the other end of the table as the title race heats up.
Two of Villa’s final four games are against the top two, beginning with a visit to his former club Liverpool (20:00 BST) on Tuesday, who are chasing a historic quadruple, before taking his team to leaders Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season on May 22.
Gerrard was part of a Liverpool team that was three games away from winning the title in 2014, only for his infamous slip to help Chelsea defeat City at Anfield. Eight years later, the legendary former Reds captain can help shape the outcome of a title race that appears to be going to the wire.
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With three games remaining, City leads nearest rivals Liverpool by three points. Gerrard won the Champions League, FA Cup, Uefa Cup, and League Cup with Liverpool, and scored 186 goals in 710 appearances.
On Match of the Day, Gary Lineker discussed a last-day scenario in which Gerrard could win the league for Liverpool if Villa beat City. Danny Murphy, a former Liverpool player and MOTD pundit, wondered, “I wonder if he’s still registered to play?”
“He might run on when someone’s through with the ball and tackle,” Lineker joked. “We’ll see; it’s very exciting.”
Ex-Liverpool keeper David James said during an interview, “If Pep Guardiola gets to the last game of the season three points ahead, then Stevie G could do Liverpool a massive favour. It’s still not over.”
With goal difference possibly still important – City’s +68 is four better than Liverpool’s +64 – James added: “Could you imagine Stevie G’s team winning that game by enough goals to let Liverpool win a quadruple? It’s still possible.”
When Villa lost 1-0 to Liverpool in his fifth match as manager in December, Gerrard made it clear that he was uninterested in a sentimental return to Anfield.
He is equally dismissive of speculation about Villa’s potential role at the top of the table, insisting that his priority is to collect as many points as possible “to finish in a place where we can be satisfied.”
“My job is to win games for Aston Villa and that will always be the case while I’m representing this club,” Gerrard said on Monday.
Gerrard took over in November of last year, when Aston Villa were just two points above the relegation zone. They are aiming for a top-10 finish after winning 10 of Gerrard’s first 23 league games in charge, and they face the Reds in 11th place.
“They’re [Liverpool] a world-class team. Arguably, the best team in the world right now,” he added. Many Liverpool fans regard Gerrard as Jurgen Klopp’s natural heir, but he has a job to do as Aston Villa manager. The rest, in his opinion, is just a sideshow.
“We’re well aware of the size of the challenge [against Liverpool], but it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it. I want to win, fiercely, and that is no different on Tuesday. In terms of Liverpool, the season is over 38 games and they play Aston Villa twice,” he said.
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Liverpool and Manchester City know from previous experiences that they will have to work hard to get anything from Villa. In addition to making life difficult for the Reds at Anfield five months ago, Villa pushed City all the way before falling to Pep Guardiola’s team 2-1 at home.
Since Gerrard’s first game in charge on November 20th, only eight clubs have taken more points than Villa. However, he has already expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s lack of progress, and a busy summer of changes to the playing squad looms.
“I don’t think we’re going to be happy or celebrating anything this season because the team, from the beginning of the season to now, has underachieved,” Gerrard added.
