Liverpool indebted again to influence of Gerrard

Last updated : 03 August 2005 By The Times

Steven Gerrard arose from the substitutes’ bench for the final quarter of an hour to cacophonous applause from the Kop and, within two minutes, had scored the goal that lifted this match out of the doldrums.

If Benítez would like us to believe that his is not a one-man team, he had better tell his captain. This was Gerrard’s seventh goal in four European Cup qualifiers since he rejected the chance to join Chelsea last month, a decision that still rankles with José Mourinho. The master of nearly all he surveys from Stamford Bridge must have been spitting even more teeth last night as the England midfield player entered the fray with such single-mindedness that his breakthrough goal appeared inevitable.

Taking a short corner, Gerrard received the return and drove in a cross-shot towards the near post that was diverted over the line by an array of limbs. Try telling the Kop that the goal did not belong to their hero. Djibril Cissé added a second, from Luis García’s cross, four minutes from time, confirming his emergence from last year’s horrific injury.

Liverpool will travel to either CSKA Sofia or Tirana next Wednesday for the first leg of their third qualifying round. With Gerrard in this mood, entry to the group stages appears a formality.

“I just wanted to get on,” Gerrard said. “I hate watching football. I’m getting a bit of luck but I’m still going to claim it because the rules are that if your shot’s on target, it’s your goal. We are using these qualifiers as pre-season games and they are quicker than friendlies so we’ll be fitter earlier.”

The low-key opening to the match was preceded by the increasing possibility of a high-profile transfer out of Anfield. Milan Baros is not averse to a switch across Stanley Park to join Everton whose chief executive, Keith Wyness, confirmed that the Czech Republic striker was on their wanted list.

Such are Benítez’s options that he could afford to leave out eight of the starting team that won the European Cup and still claim this to be a strong line-up. Their performance in the first half offered evidence that this squad is still coming together, however.

Fernando Morientes struggled to gel up front with Peter Crouch, himself withdrawn with a suspected hamstring strain, and the Spain striker was replaced at half-time by Cissé, who volleyed in his third goal in this early-season European run. “Cissé has been through a lot,” Gerrard said, “and he’s come through by his mental strength. When he’s fit, he’s a very dangerous player.”

Cissé looks the pick of Benítez’s forwards, ten months after he suffered a double fracture of a leg.

Sami Hyypia, again unconvincing in defence, slammed a header against the underside of the crossbar from Dietmar Hamann’s corner but, not for the first time, it took Gerrard to bring Anfield to its feet. “It was a difficult game because the other team played compact,” Benítez said. “The most important thing is we’re in the next round. [Gerrard’s] scoring a lot of goals and we hope he continues. He is a key player for us.”