It's a shame that Steven Gerrard can't play against Man City, jokes Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

Sean Fisher
20 May 2022

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp

With Liverpool needing Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa to do them a favour against title rivals Manchester City on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp joked about the Liverpool legend taking to the pitch.

In typical Premier League fashion, the title race has boiled down to the final game of the season.

Manchester City possess the top spot heading into Sunday's clashes, but Liverpool are hot on their trail, just one point adrift.

Pep Guardiola's side host Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa at the Etihad, while Liverpool welcome Wolves to Anfield on what is bound to be a blockbuster afternoon of sport.

But with City knowing a win is enough to secure them a sixth Premier League title, fans from the red half of Merseyside will be praying their former star Steven Gerrard can mastermind a result against Manchester City.

"It's disappointing when people mention integrity" 😤

Steven Gerrard says his motivation is for Aston Villa to gain three points against Manchester City and he will not be influenced by Liverpool's role in the title race. pic.twitter.com/6AKWGPTWwg
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 20, 2022

Joining the Liverpool fans with that wish is Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who joked on Friday morning that he wished Gerrard was able to take to the pitch himself.

"I can understand these kind of situations only by thinking myself in that role," said Klopp.

"If I would play a game and could help Dortmund or Mainz that would be, for me, an extra motivation - but I don't play.

"And Stevie doesn't play. That is a shame, much more of a shame that Stevie is not playing than I am not playing.

"We are all human beings. Stevie will take it 100 percent serious, I am sure, without me calling him or whatever, I don't have to - the rest of the club probably already did it but I didn't."

Klopp added that Crystal Palace's stubborn showing against Everton on Thursday evening showed that clubs won't simply roll over despite having little to play for at the end of the season.

But while that of course applies to Aston Villa's trip on Sunday, it also applies to Wolves, who will be aiming to ruin the party at Anfield.

Setting up for the final day of the @premierleague season 👊🔴 pic.twitter.com/G6YFrRmsmI
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 19, 2022

"A really good example of how motivated football teams are to fulfil their own targets is last night's game for Crystal Palace.

"It was such an important game, one of the most important games in Everton's history, and then Palace show up there and play incredible football and in the end they they lost, but the effort they put in, the passion they showed - the whole game from Palace was really good.

"We play to win and Aston Villa play to win. It (Etihad) is a difficult place to go, if you go there and don't play 100 per cent you get five or six (scored against you) and if you are fully there you have a chance to get a result.

"But this is the game I am not concerned about, not thinking about, at all. Of all the things we speak about it is completely disrespectful to Wolves as they will do exactly the same.

"They don't want to come here and be part of our celebrations. They come here and want to get three points, definitely.

"We have to be ready for this game not the other one."

An Aston Villa draw would be enough to allow Liverpool to snatch the title on the final day, provided that they themselves win against Wolves. Kick-off for all matches is at 16:00 BST.

For all the possible final-day permutations in the Premier League, read below...