Jurgen Klopp gives blessing for Steven Gerrard to succeed him as Liverpool manager
The former midfielder returned to Anfield on Saturday as Aston Villa lost 1-0
Jurgen Klopp has backed Steven Gerrard to succeed him as Liverpool manager.
Gerrard received a hero's welcome on his return to Anfield on Saturday, when his Aston Villa team were beaten 1-0 by the Reds.
A Mohamed Salah penalty made the difference, as Klopp's side kept up the pressure on Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
Gerrard was applauded by the Liverpool fans before the match, but he adopted a businesslike demeanour on the touchline throughout the game.
The club legend is widely seen as the favourite to replace Klopp when the German's contract expires in 2024.
And the man who currently occupies the Anfield hot seat believes Gerrard would be a good choice to succeed him.
"The good thing is I have no problem with this sort of thing. I will not be here forever so I would love it to be Stevie! But no I did not feel under pressure today," Klopp told reporters in his post-match press conference.
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"[Steven Gerrard] is obviously a good coach. It is really strange when you meet before the game. A lot of the coaching staff from your own club is strange. They do what they do and everything is okay."
Klopp went on to praise Villa's defensive resolve, with Liverpool having to wait until the 67th minute to make the breakthrough.
"The first 75 minutes was incredible football. It's difficult. The opponent defended compactly," he added.
"It looked really good, we played in the spaces we wanted to play but we did not finish the situations which is tricky.
"We came out in the second half and knew we had to keep going - and improve in moments. We were not calm enough in the last pass.
"We kept going. We scored with the penalty then the relief was obviously too big and it was an unnecessary open game. Like tooth pain! Nobody needs that. There are areas to improve even when we win football games, which is good."
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).