Gerrard's spot-kick was the fifth penalty failure for Liverpool this season - Michael Owen (twice), Emile Heskey and El-Hadji Diouf the previous culprits - and Gerard Houllier is only too aware that his side have lost crucial points as a result.
Houllier said: "We have suffered badly from missed penalties this season.
"The lads decided among themselves on the pitch, it is up to them. If Michael had wanted to take it that would not have been a problem by me. But Steven took the responsibility. It was a great save but penalties have been a bad story for us all season.
"Of course I do not blame him. If Owen had felt OK he would have taken it, it is just one of those things that keeps hurting us. We must still keep battling on, it is not over yet. Let's wait and see what the result is at Villa, it could still go our way."