Steven Gerrard got flashbacks to his own infamous slip as Aston Villa lost 2-1 at West Midland rivals Wolves.
Wolves took the lead when Spain defender Jonny struck a crisp half-volley after Fabio Silva and Daniel Podence had shots blocked. They doubled their advantage when Ashley Young inadvertently headed into his own net following Marcal's left-wing cross. The hosts could have made the win a lot more comfortable but were left hanging on when England striker Ollie Watkins converted a late penalty after he was fouled by keeper Jose Sa.
Villa boss Gerrard was left to reflect on his side’s poor first half, which included John McGinn and Ezri Konsa slipping over in the build up to Wolves’ first goal. Gerrard, who famously slipped over for Liverpool against Chelsea when the Reds blew the title in 2014, smiled: “Well any complaints or finger-pointing from me would be cheap. It might have been down to the pitch, it could’ve been down to studs but the reality is we gifted a team a goal on the back of it. It had a big impact on us.”
Of 13 games against the top eight, Villa have now won just once with a return of only four points. So while these local rivals might be close geographically and in the Premier League table, Gerrard appreciates the “gap” is bigger in reality. It is a gulf the Villa boss will look to bridge this summer with the continued financial backing from the club’s billionaire owners.
Gerrard’s Villa arrived at Molineux in ninth with hopes of overhauling Wolves who started the day a place above. Yet those aims were shattered early on as the visitors conceded after just seven minutes to Jonny Castro Otto’s opener. The game was effectively over when Young put through his own net nine minutes before the break.
The loss underlines the size of the task ahead for Gerrard to re-establish Villa back in the higher echelons of the Premier League. That is his brief from Villa’s ambitious backers and Gerrard has threatened his current players with the axe unless they show the necessary qualities to revive the club.
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Gerrard, whose side have lost three in a row, assessed: “The League doesn’t lie. At the moment there’s a gap to the teams above us and that showed in the first half. My staff all know where we are strong and where we need support, whether that be an individual area or a certain unit in the team.
“What the owners have done for this club has been phenomenal in terms of the support, the backing. I don’t think they’ll change because the dealings I’ve had and the communication I’ve had, they’re very ambitious and they want to win football matches, like myself.
“The players in the building have got to help me fix it right now and if not, we’ll get players to help me fix it. We can’t keep giving sloppy goals away and gifts because since I’ve been in the building I can’t remember a gift we’ve been given.”
