Gerrard calls on Istanbul spirit

Last updated : 25 April 2008 By Al Campbell
Liverpool face a tough task to reach this season's final after drawing the home leg of their semi-final 1-1, but Gerrard believes the spirit of Istanbul can inspire them at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

"We seemed to be in this sort of situation virtually every step of the way in 2005. Time after time, we came back to win it," said the Reds' captain.

"We pulled it off when the odds seemed stacked against us in so many rounds, not to mention the final, so there is no reason why we can't do it again. We can take encouragement from that, and from the way we played overall.

"We are a very good side in Europe away from home, and that is the key point, not what people are saying about how we never seem to score at Stamford Bridge.

"We have got the players and the belief to go down there and beat Chelsea. The advantage is in their hands because of that late goal, but we have just got to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and make sure we are ready to put in a magnificent performance next week.

"That is what it will need to turn it round, but we have done it before often enough. People might think Chelsea are almost there, but we have pulled it out of the fire so many times in the Champions League."