Steven Gerrard has made a promise to Aston Villa fans that his team will try to make them proud against Manchester City this weekend.
Gerrard can help Liverpool win the title by taking points off City on the Premier League’s final day. Speaking to BBC Sport after his team drew with Burnley last night, the Anfield legend says his team will give it everything they’ve got on Sunday.
“I think our supporters deserve it,” said the former Liverpool captain.
“We’re 14th at the moment with three points to play for. You can see the supporters, they have been incredible home and away. They have followed us near and far. The least we can do is go there and try and make them proud of our performance.”
Gerrard is as professional as it comes, of course his first thought should be on Villa right now. But there must be a part of him that is desperate to play his part in Liverpool winning the one title that evaded him as a player.
The stars align for Gerrard
Since he was made captain by Gerard Houllier in 2003 until the moment he left the club, Gerrard was so often Liverpool’s saviour.
For younger fans who won’t remember, he delivered Divock Origi moments but on an industrial scale.
Whenever the chips were down and Liverpool looked beaten, Gerrard would drag his team to improbable things.
It’s fitting that now into his management career, Liverpool once again look to their most famous son.
If the Scouser can contribute to Jurgen Klopp’s team winning the Premier League this season, it will put all those memories of near misses as a player firmly to bed.
In a season like no other for The Reds, the stars have aligned to give a chance of the most fitting finale of all.
City stand in the way
What makes matters complicated is that Villa are up against a juggernaut of a team. They failed to beat a Burnley side down near the bottom of the table last night and will have to be better on Sunday.
Gerrard rested two former Liverpool men – Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings – and that could yet be crucial on Sunday.
It feels inevitable that at the Etihad, City will put three, four or five past Villa. They are rampant at the moment and usually they score early and they score lots.
But this is Liverpool, this is Steven Gerrard, stranger things have happened when those two get together.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
