‘If it helps Liverpool, fantastic’ – Steven Gerrard out to end Aston Villa’s season on a high by denying Man City title
STEVEN GERRARD could finally play a part in a “fantastic” Liverpool title success.
So it is hardly a surprise the Aston Villa manager has been bombarded with phone calls from friends and family urging him to engineer the destruction of Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
Gerrard, 41, who spent 17 years as a player at Anfield, knows a good result for Villa at City could clear the path for his former club.
As he spoke about the championship D-day, Gerrard kept insisting the overwhelming priority is Villa and to end the season on a high.
But no-one really believed him. To beat or draw with City - so potentially handing the title to Liverpool - would surely be the most satisfying moment of his managerial career regardless of what he achieved at Rangers.
Equally, Gerrard is still annoyed with those who felt he would field a weakened team against Burnley, something he did not do in the 1-1 draw on Thursday.
Read More on Football
The theory was he would give players a rest ahead of the City game to boost chances of a win on the final day and so helping the Reds.
The former England midfielder, who confirmed his phone has not stopped buzzing this week, said: “We have three massive points to play for and an opportunity to finish on a high at the end of the season. It would be nice if we could reward our supporters with something at the weekend.
“In terms of Liverpool, I totally understand and respect the external noise and the questions that have been coming my way for some time now. They are involved in a title race and I spent a lot of time there.
“It is disappointing when people mention integrity and aim it towards me or Aston Villa or any of my players. We will go out at the weekend and we will give everything we have got to try and get the points for Aston Villa and our supporters. If that inevitably helps Liverpool, fantastic. But my priority is to try and get points for Aston Villa.”
Most read in Football
Getting a point at City is not exactly straightforward, although both Crystal Palace and Spurs both won there.
Gerrard added: “I don’t think anyone finds it easy. They are at the top of the League for a reason and they get into the latter stages of the Champions League for a reason. They are consistent, have world-class players and a top-class manager.
“There is a lot of pressure on them at the weekend and we will go there as best we can and we will try and be as organised as we can so we can make it as difficult as we can. Why? Because we want to be in a better place than 14th and we need some more points.”
When Gerrard left the Premier League as a player in 2015, Chelsea finished top, City were second, Arsenal third and Liverpool came sixth.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS - BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
On his return to the Premier League as a manager this season, the League looks very different.
He added: “When I played there was a lot of talk about the top four. I think for a period that became a top six. But City and Liverpool have been the strongest teams for a long time and there is a gap forming. In terms of my experience since being back in the Premier League, they have been the two best sides by far of what we have faced. They are very different.
“One tries to really hurt you with positional play and possession. One tries to hit you with speed and intensity. So they are very different but they are obviously both extremely consistent and have got top managers, top players and have both recruited extremely well.”