Steven Gerrard returns to Liverpool! The prodigal son returns to Anfield, a stadium he ruled for over a decade. However, he will not be on the Reds’ side this time, leading them towards a win. This time he will be looking to snatch victory from his beloved club. The Whiston-born player who joined Liverpool academy at the age of nine is now Aston Villa’s head coach at 41. In the pre-game conference, Steven Gerrard himself said that he doesn’t want Liverpool to win for the first time in his life. “If I’m on the bus heading back down the M6 towards Birmingham and I’m not the most popular at Anfield, so be it,” Gerrard said.
Since joining from Rangers, with whom he had won the Scottish title last season, he has won three of his first four games and up next is the team he left in 2015.
As he makes his return, which is also being touted as an audition for the Anfield hot seat after Jurgen Klopp leaves, let’s take a look at some of his good, bad and bittersweet memories.
THE DEBUT
Steven Gerrard made his Anfield debut as an 18-year-old teenager against Blackburn Rovers back in 1998 as a last-minute substitute for Vergard Heggem. He made 13 appearances for the club in his debut season.
THE FIRST GOAL
Steven Gerrard opened his Liverpool account as a 19-year-old when he scored in Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. He picked up the ball in the middle of the park, drove past two Wednesday defenders and fired home a powerful finish.
GERRAAAAAARD! OH YA BEAUTY, WHAT A HIT, SON! WHAT A HIT!
Liverpool were three points behind their opponents, Olympiakos, and they needed a win by two goals to progress. With just minutes left in the match, The Reds were leading 2-1, Stevie G stepped up in typical heroic fashion and scored a screamer.
THRASHING OF REAL MADRID
Steven Gerrard’s partnership with Fernando Torres can’t be described in a few words. They just knew what the other was thinking and what they would do. The game against Real Madrid was one such game where these two players toyed with the Spanish giants. Gerrard scored two as Liverpool won 4-0
MERSEYSIDE DERBY HAT-TRICK
Local lad, playing for the local team and scoring against the city rivals! What a remarkable story. Well, for Steven Gerrard, it was reality as he marked his 40th appearance for Liverpool with a hat-trick over Everton.
THE INFAMOUS SLIP
‘Brutal, cruel low in my life’. This is how Steven Gerrard describes his infamous slip against Chelsea in 2014. A slip that not only cost Liverpool the game but also the title. A 2-0 loss helped Manchester City come back into the title race, as Liverpool’s wait for the League title further extended.
‘WE DO NOT LET IT SLIP’
This incident came two games before the Slip against Chelsea. Liverpool won a dramatic tie against Manchester City 3-2, after which the entire Liverpool team huddled, and Steven Gerrard uttered those words.
STRAIGHT RED AGAINST MAN UTD
In 2015, Brendan Rodgers had decided to start Steven Gerrard from the bench against bitter rivals Manchester United, which did not go well with the Anfield faithful. With The Reds trailing 1-0, Rodgers introduced Gerrard as a half-time substitute; however, his stay lasted only 38 seconds as Martin Atkinson showed him a straight red for a stamp on Ander Herrera.
MERSEYSIDE DERBY RED CARD
Merseyside Derby has always been an eventful football match that has produced 22 red cards, the most of any Premier League fixture. Steven Gerrard is one of the players sent off in this fixture. In March 2006, Gerrard was given his marching orders 18 minutes into the game. The sending off resulted from two quickfire yellows within a minute of each other. Gerrard earned his first booking for kicking the ball away before a poor challenge on Kevin Kilbane.
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