Steven Gerrard Vows To Secure All Three Points Against His Old Club Liverpool Despite His Heroic Status.

Aston Villa's manager Steven Gerrard has sent a strong message to Liverpool as he prepares to make an emotional return to a stadium he played in for over 17 years as a professional footballer.

The Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has admitted that he won't mind sacrificing his heroic status to ensure Aston Villa gets a victory over Liverpool when both sides face each other on Saturday afternoon.

Gerrard who is a celebrated icon at Liverpool will return to Anfield for the first time as an opponent of the club since he called time on his illustrious playing career with the Reds back in 2015.

He has joined the Reds straight from the club's academy in 1998, scoring over 125 goals as a midfielder in 538 appearances in all competitions before deciding to join the Major League Soccer club, LA Galaxy for a season.

He also helped the Merseyside club win two FA Cup, three league cup, one Community Shield, one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup.

The former England international turned tactician would be taking-charge of his fifth game as Aston Villa manager having been handed the reins at Villa Park after Dean Smith's dismissal last month.

Gerrard's men need to get a win against his former club which could take them to 8th spot on the league table from the 10th spot which the club is currently occupying with 19 points in 15 games.

Despite the 41-year-old anticipated return to his former club but this time as an opposition, the Liverpool supporters of the club have promised to give the former Rangers coach a rapturous welcome back to Anfield this weekend.

However, Gerrard has gone to great lengths to ensure he will not make this match about him as he vows to leave with all three maximum points to the detriment of his popularity among the club’s fans.

The fixture having received a lot of media attention in the last few days, Gerrard told reporters during the pre-match press conference;

“Everyone in that stadium will know me well enough to know what I’m about and what I’m going to Anfield for.

“I’m going back to a club where I spent many years and it brings a smile to my face for a couple of reasons.

“One, I’ve got a good relationship with a lot of people at the club. I had a fantastic time there, a really good journey, I’m a local boy. It was the team I supported growing up and I will always support that team.

“But at the same time, it brings a smile to my face because I’ve got the opportunity to go there and compete against a good team and a good manager and try to win the game. That’s my only focus.

“If I’m on the bus heading back down the M6 towards Birmingham and I’m not the most popular at Anfield, so be it.”

Speaking no the current Liverpool's fine form, Gerrard added: “Liverpool are in a fantastic place and on top form, we’re aware of the challenge and how difficult it’s going to be.

“But we’ve got to take confidence and belief from the start that we’ve made.

“We know how difficult Anfield can but other teams have gone there with a game plan and taken something out of the game.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool's boss Jurgen Klopp also revealed that he sent the former Reds captain a six-word text message ahead of the iconic return to Anfield on Saturday.

Klopp told reporters how he has already made contact with Gerrard before the contest, claiming: "After the last game I sent Gerrard a message; 'not bad at all, see ya!'"

"The fantastic advice Klopp offered me was, 'Don't go into this as Steven Gerrard, with the name on your back. Go back to the beginning, strip it back," Gerrard further went on to tell the Champions Journal.

"'Make mistakes, get it horribly, wildly wrong. Experiment! Do all these things away from the cameras."