By the way, there's also a match to be played!

James Mountford, BBC Radio Merseyside

Rarely, if ever, will a visiting manager get such a (favourable) reception at Anfield. But this is an exception on all counts. Third in Liverpool’s all-time appearances list, fifth in their goalscoring rankings. The man is a living legend in the red half of the city, and rightly so. Villa could win 5-0 and it wouldn’t alter Steven Gerrard’s reputation one iota.

The thinking is he will one day return as manager – the fact Jurgen Klopp so openly declared that on Friday only adds to this inevitability. The away bus could be cheered more loudly than the home one. Bizarre, yet expected.

Once the pre-match handshakes and waves are over, it will be time for business (although expect the Gerrard songs to continue through the game). 

Liverpool proved last week they can find different ways to win, but at Anfield, they seem unstoppable. Unbeaten this term, 18 home Premier League goals and scoring at least twice in eight of their past nine games in the competition at Anfield. If they do score (if??), they will equal a club record of scoring in 31 straight games set back in 1958.

Three points are at stake for both sides, and expect Villa to give it a good go, but nearly 60,000 pairs of eyes at Anfield will be on the away dugout arguably more than the actual play.