BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Liverpool great Steven Gerrard couldn’t do his old club a favor.

Now manager of Aston Villa, Gerrard saw his team lose 2-1 Wednesday at home to Manchester City, one of the sides challenging Liverpool for the Premier League title.

First-half goals by Portugal internationals Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva — the latter scoring with a sensational volley from Gabriel Jesus’ cross at the end of a break — gave City a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Ollie Watkins reduced the deficit in the 47th with a first-time finish off a corner to the near post but City held on, helped by the second-half introduction of Jack Grealish — the boyhood Villa fan and former club captain who left for a British-record fee of 100 million pounds (then $139 million) in the offseason.

Second-place City stayed a point behind Chelsea and a point ahead of Liverpool after 14 games.

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