Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has £9million incentive to help Liverpool win the league
Aston Villa have £9million in bonuses riding on the last day of the season as they prepare to take on Manchester City at the Etihad [Birmingham Live].
The Villans still have a top ten finish in their sights but must beat the title pushers and hope other results go their way to have any chance of doing so.
The Lions’ draw with Burnley on Thursday night saw them remain in 14th which would see them earn £15.4m at the end of the season.
Finishing the Premier League season in 10th would earn the Lions £24.2m in merit payments.
Each place that Villa climb in the table would be worth £2.2m, which would see a £9million increase from their current position to tenth.
Incentive
The whole world will be watching this game as Gerrard looks to do his old friends in Liverpool a massive favour.
Aston Villa fans know how much he loves his former club and what it would mean to essentially hand them the title having not won it there as a player.
It would be amazing for the Liverpool legend if he could play a major part in them winning the title – you couldn’t write a better story.
It is a win-win situation for everyone involved should the Villans win or at least pickup points.
If they draw against the Sky Blues and the other results go their way, that would be enough to see them jump to ninth.
A win under the same circumstances would see the Lions usurp Brighton for a place in the top ten.
Despite all the talk about Liverpool, Villa should always be Gerrard’s top priority and fair play to the boss – they always are when they have faced the Reds in the past.
The media love to dramatize the situation but he always plays it down, remaining focused on his job.
In other Aston Villa news, Gerrard has made Aston Villa fans a promise ahead of the summer transfer window.