In August Gerrard gained a penalty when Chris Morgan made an air shot of a tackle and was found guilty by means of intent. Yesterday the Liverpool captain again was the alleged victim, twice being strong-armed to the floor in the box. Both decisions were contended by the Blades, whose only consolation this time is that there was no question about contact. Whether Gerrard collapsed to the floor too readily is another question.
Robbie Fowler converted both in a win embellished by further goals from Sami Hyypia and Gerrard, but it was the first penalty that irked the United manager Neil Warnock. "I was disappointed with Steven Gerrard," he said, "but you can't blame him. Fifty per cent of referees would have given it but the other 50 per cent would know Steve's used everything he can to get his penalty."
The last thing you need when you are facing a club who have bettered the European champ-ions is a bad start and it is difficult to imagine United making a much worse one as they went 2-0 down within 25 minutes. Rafa Benitez made seven changes to the team that defeated Barcelona on Wednesday, giving Javier Mascherano his debut, but any suggestion that Liverpool might risk surrendering Premiership points thanks to the manager's tinkering evaporated almost before the Kop had a chance to ponder the possibility.
The first penalty was scored in the 20th minute and was the more debateable. Referee Steve Bennett had warned Gerrard and Robert Kozluk as the players had jostled in anticipation of Mark Gonzalez's corner but, as the kick came over, the United player cradled his arm, Gerrard ran into it and collapsed to the floor. It might have been passed off as normal dead-ball jostling, but the foul went Liverpool's way and Fowler's kick was too well hit for Paddy Kenny.
"Before we went out I told Rob Kozluk 'I don't want any arms or anything' so it shows how much he listens to me," Warnock said. "The penalty knocked the stuffing out of us." The next came four minutes later when Jermaine Pennant's throw-in was astute enough to allow Gerrard to get goal side of Nick Montgomery. This time the arm contact was more blatant, the England midfielder again tumbled as if he had been bludgeoned and Fowler switched corners to tuck the ball to his left as Kenny went in the opposite direction.
The visiting supporters were so frustrated by events that when Dirk Kuyt, who had replaced a bloodied Peter Crouch, went down in an innocuous incident in the second half, they chanted for a penalty. That, together with a shot against the bar in the closing minutes by Rob Hulse, was about the sum of United's defiance. Having had to withdraw Kozluk and Chris Lucketti soon after Liverpool's opening salvo, United were game but limited.
Goals always seemed imminent and two more arrived. The first, after 70 minutes, stemmed from a Pennant corner that canoned off Morgan into the path of Hyypia. The Finnish centre-back had a narrow gap to aim for but he hit it low into the corner.
The best was reserved for last. Fowler, his back to goal, directed a glorious pass to Gerrard three minutes later and the midfielder, charging forward, shot into the opposite corner from the right of the area. This time there was no hint of controversy, no complaints and no doubts.