Tuesday 15 November 2016 17:14, UK
Following Steven Gerrard's departure from LA Galaxy, we look back at six highlights from his career.
What was your personal favourite?
Gerrard has scored nine goals against Manchester United in his career, but the pick of his strikes against Liverpool's arch rivals was surely the long-range effort that beat Fabien Barthez at Anfield in March 2001. The win completed the first double Liverpool had achieved over their great rivals in 22 years with Gerrard’s opener setting them on their way to a 2-0 victory. There was a memorable celebration too, as the midfielder dived towards to the corner flag and it was to go on to be a successful year for the club as they won no fewer than five trophies in that calendar year.
With Liverpool seemingly set for a group-stage exit from the Champions League at the hands of Rivaldo’s Olympiakos in December 2004, Neil Mellor’s late goal put Liverpool within a solitary strike of progressing to the knockout stages. Enter Gerrard with a sweetly-struck shot from distance that sent the Kop into wild celebrations. It was a wonderful Anfield moment in itself but one that will go into folklore given the significance of what was to come as Liverpool went on to become champions of Europe for a fifth time later that season.
The performance with which he will forever be associated, Gerrard’s greatest moment in a Liverpool shirt is also arguably the most famous night in the club’s history. With the Reds 3-0 down to the mighty AC Milan at half-time, Gerrard helped orchestrate a comeback for the ages – reducing the deficit with a header before winning a penalty that led to Xabi Alonso levelling things up. Gerrard went on to lift the trophy – describing it as the “best feeling ever” – following a remarkable shoot-out to complete a miraculous night under the lights in Istanbul.
Twelve months on from one famous 3-3, there was another to enjoy as Gerrard added another chapter to his own legend with a sensational solo performance to drag Liverpool over the line in the FA Cup final against West Ham in Cardiff. The Hammers were 2-0 up when Gerrard set up Djibril Cisse before equalising himself only for Alan Pardew’s side to take the lead once more. West Ham were seconds away from a sensational win when a tiring Gerrard fired home from long range to beat Shaka Hislop. Liverpool’s hero later netted his penalty in the shoot-out as the Reds won the trophy in typically dramatic circumstances.
On the tenth anniversary of David Moyes’ time in charge of Everton, it was Anfield’s hero who stole the show. Gerrard went into the game having not scored in seven games for club and country, but Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish had him fired up for the Merseyside derby and the captain scored all the goals in a 3-0 home win. The first was a smart finish to lift the ball over goalkeeper Tim Howard, the second was thumped in to the delight of the Kop and a hat-trick goal was found in the dying moments to cap a virtuoso performance.
Magic in Munich (September 2001)
Gerrard won 114 England caps - only three players have ever won more - but, despite representing his country at six major tournaments, the midfielder, like the rest of the 'golden generation' largely had to endure disappointment on the international stage. However, Gerrard did play a key role in one of England's finest nights in September 2001, when he scored with a crucial long-range strike against Germany. With the World Cup qualifier poised at 1-1 in Munich, the future England captain lashed in from 30 yards to give Sven-Goran Eriksson's men momentum going into the half-time interval. Buoyed by their lead, England fired three unanswered second-half goals to defeat Germany 5-1, with Gerrard providing the assist for Michael Owen's third.
