Steven Gerrard has defended John McGinn after the Aston Villa star's tackle saw Leeds teenager Archie Gray forced off on a stretcher.
The two Premier League outfits took part in a pre-season friendly in Australia, with Villa running out 1-0 winners at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as the teams gear up for the start of the campaign in less than a month. However, the game was overshadowed by the nasty injury sustained by the 16-year-old.
McGinn did win the ball as he closed down Gray, but his studs were up and he caught the Leeds prospect on the ankle. The Scot was seen apologising to the player yet received the backing of his manager, who pointed out that Gray had dished out a similar challenge earlier on in the match.
