I have a feeling you’ve heard, but Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, ending an almost 18 year career on Merseyside.
Gerrard has had a trophy haul of a Champions League, two FA Cups, three League cups, and a UEFA Cup and Super Cup title, and has scored stunning goal after stunning goal since making his debut for the club as an 18 year old in 1998.
We’ve been trawling back through the archives, and have plucked out his five (although you could easily pick 50) best moments in a Liverpool shirt.
1. Kissing the camera at Old Trafford
It was a small gesture, but one that makes Man United fans sick to their stomach every time they see it.
Gerrard slotted a penalty past Edwin Van Der Sar to send Liverpool 2-1 ahead against United at Old Trafford in 2009, and immediately made a beeline for the corner flag and the travelling Liverpool fans, before planting the wettest, sloppiest pucker on the camera in front of him.
Liverpool went on to hammer United 4-1, and although United eventually rallied to win the league, the image of Gerrard shifting the camera is one that will haunt United fans forever, but will give Liverpool fans and Sky Sports producers a warm, fuzzy feeling inside whenever they see it.
2. “We go again”
Yeah, some may call this a dodgy choice, but forgetting what happened two weeks later against Chelsea and taking this moment on its own, it’s a truly iconic moment that showed the hold Gerrard had on his squad as a leader.
Liverpool beat Man City in a classic at Anfield, just days after the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, and the emotion in Gerrard’s voice, the Anfield crowd and the team spirit in the squad makes
Gerrard is teary-eyed as he gees up his players following what was at the time a massive win, and while it went balls up against Chelsea two weeks later, it will go down as one of the most memorable moments in Premier League history.
A leader at work.
3. 2006 FA Cup final
I remember watching this game in a pub on Achill Island.
Liverpool were 3-2 down deep in extra-time against West Ham, and had I been anywhere near a bookies at the time I would have lumped every penny I had on them nabbing an equaliser.
It felt inevitable, and it was.
In true Stevie G fashion, the Liverpool captain (and PFA Players’ Player of the Year that season) leathered home an absolute screamer of a volley into the bottom corner from 79 yards out, and went on to win his second FA Cup with the club following victory in the penalty shootout that followed.
I’ll let John Motson take it from here…
4. Istanbul
Three nil down to AC Milan. You know the rest.
Gerrard started the famous comeback with a cracking header earlier in the second half, and had a helping hand in the equaliser, winning the penalty (winning being the operative word) that resulted in Liverpool equalising to make it 3-3.
The win seemed to bring to an end the on-going reports linking him to Chelsea, with Gerrard stating “How can I leave after a night like this?”.
It was Gerrard’s greatest win in the Liverpool red, and one where his leadership on the night will be spoken about at Anfield forever.
5. “Ooooooh, ya BEAUTY!!!!”
One of the most memorable moments of commentary for Gerrard’s most memorable Liverpool goal.
Deep in injury time, and Liverpool needing to score (this phrase will be the man’s epitaph) to make the Champions League knockout phase, Gerrard charged onto a breaking ball on the edge of the area, and unleashed the mother and father of all half-volleys into the back of the net, sparking some of the wildest scenes seen at Anfield in recent history.
Not only the most iconic goal of Gerrard’s incredible career, but one of the most iconic goals in Liverpools history.
Andy Gray’s commentary just adds to it.
