There were positives everywhere when the final whistle sounded at Anfield. But for Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, one of the biggest outcomes of the 2-0 win over Aston Villa was what it did for two players in particular.

Liverpool and their head coach Arne Slot went into Saturday's match under big pressure after a run of six defeats in their previous seven games in all competitions - and staring an unwanted club record directly in the face.

Had they fell defeat to an in-form Villa side, they would have lost for the fifth time in a row in the league for the first time since the 1953-54 season.

Instead the Reds rode their luck in the early stages, avoiding another...