Liverpools expected lineup vs Aston Villa for Steven Gerrards Anfield return
Liverpool are ready to welcome Steven Gerrard back to Anfield today as they host Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Club legend Gerrard returns to Liverpool for the first time as an opposition manager since leaving his coaching role to take over as Rangers boss back in 2018.
He is sure to get a warm welcome from fans in the 3pm kick-off, although Gerrard will be hoping to take home three points from his former stomping ground.
Aston Villa are sure to face a difficult task, given Liverpool’s brilliant form over the past month.
Liverpool have won their last two Premier League home games by a 4-0 scoreline, with Southampton and Arsenal dispatched with ease.
The Reds are in good shape too after Jurgen Klopp was able to rest several first-team players for their 2-1 win over AC Milan on Wednesday night.
Klopp made eight changes for the final Champions League group stage clash, with Alisson, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah the only players to keep their place from the 1-0 win over Wolves on the weekend.
Liverpool have a fairly clean bill of health following the trip to the San Siro, although Nat Phillips will be out for around a month after fracturing his cheek.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Does Divock Origi deserve to start for Liverpool against Aston Villa? Comment below.
The only major doubt around the Reds concerns Diogo Jota, who missed the trip to Italy.
"Diogo felt something after the Wolves game and he didn't train yet, but maybe he can train today (Friday),” said Klopp in his pre-match press conference.
Klopp will want to play the Portuguese forward, given his outstanding recent form, but he does have another option in Divock Origi.
Origi started and scored in Milan after coming off the bench to score Liverpool’s 94th-minute winner against Wolves last weekend.
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Elsewhere, Klopp can be expected to field the same midfield and defence as in the Wolves game, with Virgil van Dijk partnered by Joel Matip.
Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold should start in the full-back positions, while Fabinho, Thiago and Jordan Henderson have emerged as the first-choice midfield three.
If Jota is not fit enough to start, then this is how Liverpool should line up against Villa today.
Liverpool’s expected line-up: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson; Salah, Mane, Origi.
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