NEW Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard’s return to Anfield next month will NOT be shown on TV.
The Liverpool legend was announced as Dean Smith’s successor on Thursday as he departed Rangers after three years in charge.
And his arrival at Villa Park means he will now have to coach his side against the club he made more than 700 appearances for between 1998 and 2015.
Aston Villa travel to Anfield to take on Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side on December 11.
However, BT Sport and Sky Sports have already selected their Premier League games for December – and Liverpool vs Aston Villa is not one of them.
Instead, the game will take place at 3pm on the Saturday when the UK television blackout is in force.
The matches aired on Sky that weekend will be Brentford vs Watford, Norwich vs Manchester United, Leicester vs Newcastle and Crystal Palace vs Everton.
Meanwhile, BT Sport are showing the early kick off on Saturday between Manchester City and Wolves.
Gerrard has not been back to Anfield as a player or manager since leaving for LA Galaxy six years ago.
The midfielder scored 186 goals for the Merseyside outfit and is widely regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever players.
His crowning moment came in 2005 when he fired the Reds to Champions League glory in Istanbul.
And in December of last year Gerrard confirmed he hopes to be manager of Liverpool in the future.
He said: “Would I love to be the coach of Liverpool one day? Is it a dream? Of course.
“It’s a club that means everything to me but we’ve one of, if not the best, managers in the world who has been absolutely incredible since he came through the door.
“And the success he’s delivered in the last couple of years means that Liverpool are in a fantastic place. Long may that continue.
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“I’ve still got ex-team-mates playing in the team and that’s where it is. There’s nothing else to really discuss on it.
“Just because I was a good player for Liverpool and had the career I had there, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re next in line to be manager.
“If one day that job ever becomes available, there will be a queue a mile long, full of top-class managers. It doesn’t mean you’re the best person for the job.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
