Liverpool vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today

Follow all the action as Steven Gerrard returns to Anfield

'Gerrard will definitely manage Liverpool' Klopp on Stevie's return to Anfield

There was no happy homecoming for Steven Gerrard, no “celebrating like a crazy devil,” no narratives feeding into future ambitions. The man he termed “100 per cent the best player in the world now” saw to that, firing in a low, hard penalty to further Liverpool’s title fight.

Mohamed Salah’s direct goal contribution ticked over to 14 consecutive league games, his 67th-minute winner deflating an Aston Villa side that departed without a shot on target.

The task was not to make it easy for Liverpool, but Gerrard’s men didn’t figure it would be this hard to conjure threat of their own.

The scoreline belied a story of enterprise versus total obstruction, with substitute Diogo Jota missing a glorious chance late on to make that more clear.

Liverpool vs Aston Villa

• LIV XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane
• AVL XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Nakamba, Luiz; J Ramsey, Watkins, A Young
• 67’ - Salah wins and scores a penalty after Mings’ foul
• Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa: Match report

[11 December 2021 17:48 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

18 mins: A cross comes in from the left side and Ronaldo attempts to volley it at goal but completely miscues the effort. He regains possession though and attempts to dribble around Hanely but only manages to knock over the Norwich centre-back who lands awkwardly on his shoulder.

[11 December 2021 17:45 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

15 mins: Jadon Sancho carries the ball down the right channel and gives it to Rashford just inside the box. He’s forced out of the area before getting bungled over by Grant Hanley and winning a fre kick for United.

Close! This is prime Ronaldo range but he’s got Fernandes and Telles stood over the ball too. Fernandes dummies a shot and Telles strikes the free kick. It hits Hanley in the wall and deflects towards goal before striking the crossbar and going out for a corner!

[11 December 2021 17:42 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

12 mins: Norwich have a cluster of men surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo when Dalot swings a corner into the box. The cross goes over eveyone but Bruno Fernandes keeps it alive. He plays it back to Scott McTominay on the edge of the box and his effort at goal is blocked.

[11 December 2021 17:40 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

9 mins: Teemu Pukki latches onto a poor backpass from Alex Telles and drives the ball into the right side of the box. He attempts to pull the ball back into the middle of the box for Josh Sargent but a back-tracking Scott McTominay slides in front of the Norwich man and prods the ball out for a corner.

[11 December 2021 17:36 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

6 mins: Dimitri Giannoulis goes searching for a free kick by dinking the ball around Scott McTominay and running into the Man Utd midfielder who just held his ground. Giannoulis’s efforts aren’t rewarded though as United take possession and come down the left side of the pitch.

Maguire attempts to send the ball over to Diogo Dalot on the right wing but his pass comes up short. Josh Sargent gathers the ball and gets clipped by Dalot who’s lucky to avoid picking up a yellow card.

[11 December 2021 17:33 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

3 mins: Victor Lindelof fires a long ball up the pitch for Jadon Sancho to make a run in behind but Max Aarons gets to the ball first and heads it clear for Norwich.

The Canaries try a similar mode of attack with a long ball up to Teemu Pukki but Harry Maguire is there to deal with it.

[11 December 2021 17:31 · Michael Jones]

Norwich 0 - 0 Man Utd

Kick off: Norwich get the match started with a diagonal ball out to the left wing that gets headed behind for a Manchester United goal kick.

[11 December 2021 17:27 · Michael Jones]

Norwich v Man Utd: Here come the teams

Harry Maguire leads out Manchester United at Carrow Road. The Red Devils can join West Ham on 27 points if they win today. Norwich meanwhile would move off bottom spot if they pick up all three points. It’s a big game for both clubs.

[11 December 2021 17:22 · Michael Jones]

Norwich vs Man Utd

Manchester United are the only club not to have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a Premier League match this season and they are winless in their last four league matches against newly-promoted sides.

(Manchester United via Getty Imag)

[11 December 2021 17:19 · Michael Jones]

Norwich vs Man Utd

Dean Smith could become the first manager in 113 years to beat Manchester United with two different clubs in the same top-flight season. Andy Aitken did so with Middlesbrough and Leicester in 1908-09.

(Getty Images)