Gerrard returns for Reds today

Steven Gerrard was back from suspension for Liverpool as Gerard Houllier and David O’Leary each sought their first Premiership points of the season at Villa Park today.

Gerrard missed out on his side’s opening defeat to Chelsea last week but returned in place of Igor Biscan with Houllier also replacing Bruno Cheyrou with El-Hadji Diouf.

And there was another boost for Houllier with Harry Kewell given a clean bill of health and a place in the starting line-up despite the Achilles problem which ruled him out of Australia’s midweek defeat in Dublin.

O’Leary’s major bonus was the unexpected return of Darius Vassell from the ankle injury which had ruled him out for most of the pre-season.

Vassell would help a Villa forward line which had little success in the defeat at Portsmouth last week and was further hit by the midweek injury to Stefan Allback which is expected to rule the Swede out for up to a month.

Olof Mellberg, surprisingly left out for the trip to Fratton Park, returned in place of Alpay, who dropped to the bench.

And Lee Hendrie was praying for a good reception as he prepared for his first home start since the pre-season flare-up with his own supporters at Walsall.