GERRARD SPOT ON FOR REDS
0
Liverpool
3
Gerrard 34 & 46 (both pens) Suarez 84 Premier League, March 16, 2014 Att at Old Trafford: 75,225 BY THE question every fan was asking a decade ago was, ‘Are Liverpool good enough to be Premier League champions?’.
The answer would surely come at Old Trafford.
United were reigning champions, but, in their first season without Sir Alex Ferguson, the crown was slipping and Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal were battling it out at the summit.
Liverpool headed to Old Trafford, knowing victory would take them within four points of leaders Chelsea – and they had a game in hand over Jose Mourinho’s men.
Steven Gerrard was one of the keys to the Reds’ hopes of a first title since 1990 and he was the victim of a clattering challenge from Rafael.
The Brazilian was booked and Gerrard picked himself up to win the match for Liverpool.
He put Brendan Rodgers’ team ahead from the penalty spot after Rafael had used tactics more often seen on a basketball court to intercept Luis Suarez.
The Liverpool skipper confronted United keeper David De Gea from 12 yards again less than a minute into the second half after Phil Jones barged Joe Allen to the ground.
Gerrard’s low spot kick just beyond De Gea’s reach made it 2-0.
The Reds captain later said he recalled Jan Molby scoring a hat-trick of penalties on his first visit to Anfield in 1987 – and he got the chance to emulate the great Dane after Nemanja Vidic tripped Raheem Sterling and was sent off.
He hit the post with his spot kick, but it didn’t matter. Suarez put the game beyond United with a third.
United striker Wayne Rooney described the experience as “one of the worst I’ve ever had in football”.