BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 5, 2021: Aston Villa's manager Steven Gerrard (R) speaks with Matty Cash after the FA Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Leicester City FC at Villa Park. Aston Villa won 2-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Steven Gerrard laughs off Man United fans after boos in Aston Villa loss

Steven Gerrard made his first trip to Old Trafford as a manager on Monday night, and though his Aston Villa side lost 1-0, he still laughed off the boos in Manchester.

Few individual players have stoked a rivalry with a club as fierce as Gerrard and Man United, and now, following his return to the Premier League, he is back as antagoniser.

Throughout his career as a player, Gerrard faced United on 35 occasions – though the majority of those, 20 in total, came in defeat – with Chelsea the only side he took on more often.

He netted nine goals in those 35 games, the third-most against any opponent, behind only Everton (10) and Villa (13).

Now in charge of Villa, Gerrard was pitted against United for the first time as a manager this week, with a trip to Old Trafford in the FA Cup third round.

And as he emerged from the tunnel at the Stretford End, the 41-year-old was treated to a thundering chorus of boos and jeers from the home supporters.

His reaction? To turn towards those fans and stare them down, walking backwards as he made his way to the dugout:

It was a cold moment from the Liverpool legend, and unfortunately, he was not able to enjoy a result to match, with Villa going down to a 1-0 defeat.

The game was not without controversy, and it can be argued that Villa deserved a result despite Scott McTominay’s eighth-minute strike, with a near four-minute VAR check ruling out a late goal for Danny Ings.

After the game, Gerrard was asked about the situation and was clearly rankled, saying: “How long have you got?”

And discussing the reaction from the United supporters, he insisted he had been to “noisier stadiums,” and that it had no impact on him.

“[It was] relatively! quiet! I have been to noisier stadiums than this,” he told BBC Sport.

“It was a good cup tie, a good atmosphere. But in terms of what I got, water off a duck’s back.”