Steven Gerrard's greatest hits: The Liverpool captain's landmark games as he reaches 500 appearances this weekend
Things might be looking a little bleak for the Anfield lot at the moment, but MirrorFootball takes a stroll down memory lane and dusts down all the old photo albums to chart Stevie G's landmark games in a Liverpool shirt.
Game 1: Debut 2-0 Blackburn (November 29, 1998)
A nervous-looking gangly, awkward 18-year old called Steven Gerrard comes on in the last minute for Vegard Heggem in a 2-0 win against Blackburn. Gerrard later recalled his warm up before the game when he heard a fan in the crowd: "When I ran towards the Kop I could almost hear them saying: "Who's this skinny little t**t?'"
Game 2: First Liverpool start 1-2 Tottenham (September 5, 1998)
An injury to captain Jamie Redknapp meant Gerrard filled in for the skipper, but on the right-wing. He didn't have the best of games playing up against David Ginola - he was brought off after 55 minutes and Tottenham went onto to win 2-1. In an interview years after Gerrard said: "I was out of position and out of my depth." Sadly their are no pictures of Gerrard during this game, but his highlights can be seen
here
(1m58).
Game 18: First goal for Liverpool 4-1 Sheffield Wednseday (December 5, 1999)
Fans started to see the potential in Gerrard after he cemented a first-team place in his second season. His trademark dribbling was seen as he opened up Wednesday's defence and slotted home coolly to open up his Liverpool account at the Kop end. That would be his only goal in the 99/00 season, but he made his England debut against Ukraine later on that season.
Game 59: First European goal for Liverpool 2-2 Olympiakos (November 23, 2000)
Gerrard regained Liverpool's lead in the 67th minute when he glanced a corner into the far post. Liverpool failed to hold onto the lead after Olympiakos scored in the last minute, but Liverpool still went onto to win the UEFA Cup.
Game 64: First win against Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool (December 17, 2000)
Liverpool's defensive qualities saw them keep Premier League leaders Manchester United at bay after Danny Murphy's 42nd minute
free-kick
earned the visitors their second away win of the season.
Game 76: First Trophy for Liverpool 1-1 Birmingham (25 February 25, 2001)
Now an established international midfielder Gerrard was starting to win a lot of plaudits. At 21, he won his first trophy - the League Cup against Birmingham.
Liverpool won on penalties and went on to have an unbelievable season winning five trophy's that year. The FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup, Charity Shield and the UEFA Super Cup. Gerrard made 50 starts in all competitions scoring 10 goals.
Game 202: First game as Liverpool captain 2-2 Olimpija Ljubljana (October 15, 2003)
Gerrard's first game as captain after taking over the armband from Sami Hyypia. The midfielder repaid boss Gerard Houllier's faith with a powerful display against the Slovenians in the UEFA Cup.
Game 253: THAT goal, Liverpool 3-1 Olympiakos (December 8, 2004)
Liverpool needed to win by two clear goes to qualify through to the knockout stages. They couldn't have had a worse start after Brazilian legend Rivaldo scored a free-kick, leaving Liverpool needing to score three, things were looking bleak.
Sinama Pongolle grabbed the first in the 47th minute and substitute Neil Mellor came on a scored straight away in the 81st minute. Step up Steven Gerrard who smashed in a trademark scorcher in the 87th minute. Cue an eruption of celebrations in Anfield and an outburst in the commentry box from Martin Tyler: "GerrAAAARRRD!" As his partner in crime Andy Gray said: " let the pictures tell you everything "
Game 283: The Champions League Final, Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (May 25, 2005)
Arguably one of the greatest finals of all time. Liverpool found themselves outplayed and outclassed by the Italian giants AC Milan. Trailing 3-0 at half-time it looked like it was going to be a embarrassing for the Reds.
We don't know what happened in that changing room at half-time , but Rafa sure geared them up for one of the best comebacks ever seen in European competition.
It was by far Gerrard's finest hour, playing near enough every outfield position during the match. He scored the first with a placed header then two more followed in six minutes - one of them a penalty won by Gerrard.
Liverpool eventually won on penalties and brought the trophy home to Anfield for the fifth time in their history.
Game 284: First Liverpool hat-trick 3-0 TNS (July 13, 2005) Steven Gerrard put the controversy over his summer contract saga to one side as he slotted his first hat-trick in Liverpool colours, his third was the pick of the bunch when he drilled in a low shot from distance against the Welsh champions. An impeccable minute of silence was observed after the London tube bombings.
Game 336: That FA Cup final, Liverpool 3-3 West Ham (May 13, 2006)
Another roller coaster of emotions for the Liverpool fans in a dramatic 3-3 FA Cup Final.
Liverpool went two down after Dean Ashton and a Jamie Carragher own goal set back in the first 28 minutes. Djbril Cisse grabbed one back before break, and Gerrard smashed home an unstoppable half-volley.
Paul Konchesky's left-wing cross caught the back-pedalling Reina off guard and floated in to regain the lead before Gerrard, in typical fashion, scored a 30-yard screamer right on the 90th minute. Liverpool went onto win 3-1 on penalties in what was one of the best ever FA Cup Finals .
Game 379: Gerrard beats Ian Rush's record, PSV 0-3 Liverpool (April 3, 2007)
Steven Gerrard thumped in a header from Steve Finnan's cross to put the Reds ahead and become Liverpool's leading scorer in European competition. The goal was Gerrard's 15th in the European Cup and he overtook Ian Rush as the club's record goalscorer in continental competition.
Game 448: Gerrard's 100th goal for Liverpool 3-1 PSV Eindhoven (October 1, 2008)
Steven Gerrard wrapped up a convincing 3-1 win against PSV and reached his 100th goal landmark in style with a
thunderbolt free-kick
. Robbie Keane and Dirk Kuyt also helped with the win.
Game 475: 100th Liverpool European appearance 4-0 Real Madrid (March 10, 2009)
On another special European night for the Kop's prodigal son of Anfield the mighty Reds delivered again for their home fans. They got the vital away goal at the Bernabeu in a 1-0 win, and made The Galacticos look more like the Grimsby Town in the second leg. Stevie G got a brace, Fernando Torres and Andrea Dossena got themselves a goal each to see Liverpool through to the
quarter-finals
.
Game 477: First Liverpool Premier League hat-trick 5-0 Aston Villa (March 22, 2009)
Steven Gerrard grabbed the ball at the final-whistle after he scored his first Premier League
hat-trick
. Two were from the spot and the one from a free-kick for the Liverpool skipper.
What are your favourite Gerrard moments? Is he Liverpool's greatest captain? Sign in and leave your comments below...
Enjoy the compilation...
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