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Steven Gerrard. believes that Liverpool had an significant improvement with its performance to secure victory against Aston Villa.
Liverpool snapped its four-game Premier League losing streak with a 2-0 win over Unai Emery's side on Saturday, courtesy of goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah. It was a much-improved performance, with the midfield controlling proceedings and the defense holding firm for a clean sheet.
Key players such as Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley rediscovered their form after enduring heavy criticism in recent weeks. The visitors posed an early danger and mounted pressure late in the game, but from around the 20-minute mark, Liverpool took control and dominated proceedings.
Gerrard hailed a return to form for The Reds, saying they appeared to have been making more of an effort on the pitch. He also felt the home side were helped by some errors from Emery’s men.
The former Liverpool captain and Aston Villa manager commented: "I felt they were physical, the steel was back. The work rate, the intensity in possession. I think all the good stuff came off the back of that.
"I think VIlla were their own victims. Overplaying in the build up, too many mistakes. The tactics weren't wrong from Aston Villa.
"I think the manager got the tactics spot on, started the game really well. Too many mistakes in the build up and Liverpool punished them for it."
Gerrard knows all too well what it’s like to endure confidence-draining dips in form at Liverpool. When asked how he handled such periods as captain, the 45-year-old responded: " You have to stick together, of course. The coach, it’s his responsibility to make sure that you’re protected from the outside noise.
"All the matters is working hard, trying to fix the issues on the training pitch, and going out and showing what a good individual player, and that you’re part of a successful team.
“That’s what Liverpool are. They’ve had a rough spell; it hasn’t been good enough. The players have accepted the responsibility; the manager has, and they’ve bounced back tonight with a real professional performance.”
Gerrard also said that Arne Slot has weathered the unfair criticism calmly, showing composure and resilience throughout the challenging period. “I think he has handled the last couple of weeks really well,” Gerrard told TNT Sports.
“He has been calm. He has been under immense pressure; so have his players. But that’s the demand at Liverpool, especially on the back of becoming champions.
“But you don’t rest on that; it’s about parking that up and going for the next prize. He has handled it well. It’s a great win, a big win; he deserves a lot of credit for that. But they come thick and fast, and in a few days’ time he’ll be expected to beat Real Madrid.”
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