The news from Stamford Bridge had been precisely what Liverpool had wanted to hear immediately prior to kickoff and the air of enthusiasm and optimism was further enhanced after four minutes, the amount of time it took for Xabi Alonso and Fernando Morientes to combine and expose a dreadful Villa defence.
The former's superbly weighted pass put Gary Cahill completely out of the game, allowing his team-mate to bear down on Thomas Sorensen, the striker neatly switching his weight and the ball from right foot to left before converting into the far corner. A few minutes later, uncertain defending from Olof Mellberg presented Peter Crouch with a half-opportunity, his tame overhead kick this time presenting Sorensen with no problems. Liverpool required seven goals from the fixture to overtake Manchester United in second place and, on the evidence of the opening five minutes, Villa looked fully capable of assisting in that aim.
Gerrard soon added to the one-way traffic, collecting a short free-kick and producing a 25-yard shot which Sorensen did well to smother. Even when Villa managed to attack, as they did with Gareth Barry winning a corner midway through the first period, it was not long before their mediocrity saw them return to the back foot.
Liverpool broke quickly out of defence, with Crouch's pass sending three red shirts chasing a through ball which Sorensen reached first to hack to safety. But, crucially, Liverpool struggled to stretch their lead, Gavin McCann making a telling near-post tackle on Morientes as he shaped to meet a John Arne Riise cross, an escape from which Villa should have benefited from doubly as James Milner broke directly down the other end, crossing for Barry to head disappointingly down and over.
Villa, and the game as a contest, needed that goal but, instead, Liverpool came close to extending their lead when a slip by Aaron Hughes allowed Djimi Traore to intercept and send a low shot goalwards, the ball cleared off the line by Barry.
It had all been too easy for Liverpool and it showed in the manner in which they began the second half, as Villa replaced the woeful Milan Baros with Juan Pablo Angel and played two, rather than one, up front.
Sami Hyypia looked uncertain at the back, Angel charged down Jose Reina's subsequent clearance before Villa equalised through Barry. Angel's pass put Aaron Hughes away on the right and the defender's cross was missed by the substitute at the near post before Barry slid it into an open goal at the far.
Anfield was anxious and, moments later, enraged when youngster Gabriel Agbonlahor benefited from another Hyypia mistake and placed a promising opening wide, a miss that proved costly given Gerrard's intervention over the seven minutes that followed. On the hour, the Liverpool captain appeared at the near post to volley Alonso's corner, left-footed, past Sorensen at the near post then, after 66 minutes, he was on the end of a flowing, four-man passing move and unleashed an incredible right-foot shot that soared into the top corner from 30 yards. Order, well and truly, was restored.