Jurgen Klopp said he would “love” Steven Gerrard to be his successor after ensuring the former Liverpool captain’s return to Anfield as Aston Villa manager ended in a 1-0 defeat on Saturday.
Mohamed Salah’s second-half penalty secured a vital three points for the Reds as they remain just one point behind Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. Klopp’s men should have been more convincing winners as they dominated the vast majority of the game, but were frustrated by a combination of desperate Villa defending and poor finishing.
Liverpool had to withstand a nervy finale as Gerrard believed his side should also have been awarded a penalty when Alisson Becker bundled over Danny Ings.