Steven Gerrard: Winning the FA Cup is how I want to sign off at Liverpool | The Independent
We use cookies to enhance your visit to our site and to bring you advertisements that might interest you. Read our
Policies to find out more.
Steven Gerrard: Winning the FA Cup is how I want to sign off at Liverpool
Gerrard also added he will return against Swansea on Monday
Thursday 12 March
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
captain Steven Gerrard hopes to sign off his Anfield career by helping the side to FA Cup glory and a place in the top four.The 34-year-old midfielder, who leaves for Los Angeles Galaxy in the summer, has recovered from a hamstring injury after sitting out the last seven matches and is available for Monday's trip to Swansea.With the Reds facing a cup quarter-final replay at Sky Bet Championship side Blackburn next month the possibility of Gerrard leading the side out for a Wembley final on his birthday is still alive."I've just got over a hamstring injury and I am fit and available for the next game," said the captain, at an event to publicise an already sold-out Liverpool All-Star charity game later this month which will see a number of former Reds stars plus other greats of the game line up at Anfield."I want to finish the season really strong and leave the team in the top four and hopefully go all the way in the FA Cup - that is how I want to sign off."
The last 11 players Steven Gerrard would want to appear in his tribute game
The last 11 players Steven Gerrard would want to appear in his tribute game
Ben Foster
Denied Gerrard from the spot in West Brom's 2-0 victory over Liverpool in February 2013. Foster later said saving the spot-kick was 'the equivalent of scoring a goal'.
GETTY IMAGES
Tony Hibbert
A perennial nemesis from all of those Merseyside derbies. And not exactly the glam name you'd associate with a tribute match.
GETTY IMAGES
Graeme Le Saux
Gerrard was once dismissed for a high tackle on the full-back in 2003.
GETTY IMAGES
Dennis Wise
The pair were involved in an ugly confrontation back in 2000 during Liverpool's 3-0 loss by Chelsea.
GETTY IMAGES
Andrea Pirlo
Gave Gerrard the run-around during Italy's dominant win over England in Euro 2012 and then rubbed it in with his dinked penalty to win the quarter-final. That Gerrard has often been labelled as the 'next Pirlo' but never quite matched him is another good reason not to invite him along to the party.
GETTY IMAGES
Frank Lampard
They never could play alongside each other, could they?
GETTY IMAGES
Kevin Campbell
Sent off for nasty tackle on Campbell in 1999 in Merseyside derby. Gerrard has since recounted that he bumped into Campbell in a nearby restaurant, who promptly confronted Gerrard and showed him the marks from the tackle. “He dropped his keks and showed me the stud marks I’d left on his thigh,” Gerrard later revealed.
GETTY IMAGES
The recipient of that costly slip which allowed Ba to run through and ended Gerrard's title dream.
GETTY IMAGES
Mario Balotelli
Gerrard said he was “disrespectful” and “mischievous” for snatching the penalty away from then-captain Henderson recently. Would only steal the limelight anyway.
GETTY IMAGES
Filippo Inzaghi
On the double in the Champions League final of 2007, breaking Liverpool hearts.
GETTY IMAGES
Hakan Sukur
Involved in brawl during pre-season tie in Amsterdam in 2003 when Galatsaray took on Liverpool. “I felt like a bloody boxer. Chaos reigned” Gerrard wrote in his autobiography.
GETTY IMAGES
Gerrard is part of an elite group of players to have led his team to a Champions League victory and the 10th anniversary of their Istanbul triumph is just a couple of months away.With Chelsea's pursuit of European glory having come to an end at the hands of Paris St Germain, the Liverpool captain was asked whether that performance was typical of a decline in English teams' performances in Europe."I don't think it has been our year but I don't think it is a crisis. I don't think it will repeat as the years go by," he added."Teams will bounce back, teams will make signings in the summer."It has happened before teams have gone out early and the next year one comes back and wins it. I don't think it is a major problem but as a whole we haven't been good enough."Former team-mate Jamie Carragher, who will captain the other team in opposition to Gerrard on March 29, did feel Chelsea's display highlighted some of the Premier League's shortcomings"I was disappointed for our league that we have lost our best team - Chelsea are the best in the league," he said."For our league in general, you look at Arsenal and Manchester City's first legs (both trailing to Monaco and Barcelona respectively) and Liverpool not qualifying from the tournament (group stage)."Not so much for Chelsea but for our league you want to see our teams do well and we have been a bit short."Among the former Liverpool stars returning will be Luis Suarez, Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres while the likes of John Terry and Didier Drogba have also committed to the game.The Chelsea duo are far from favourites with the Anfield crowd but Gerrard said it was important people remembered why they had accepted an invitation to play."Credit to John Terry, many people in his position would have turned away and not come," added the Liverpool captain."He may get some stick on the day but for me it shows you what type of guy he is for coming and helping out."Gerrard, whose side will be managed by current Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, had first pick of the players and managed to get Suarez, Torres, Alonso, Terry and Thierry Henry into his side."Stevie has gone for the Galactico- if you look at his front five they're not going to get back to help much and the age of Stevie and Alonso they need a bit of help in there," said Carragher, who will line up alongside the likes of Drogba and ex-Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina."I've gone for a more balanced team and I fancy our chances."PA
More about:
+ Show all Clubs
- Show Less
We've noticed that you are using an ad blocker.
Advertising helps fund our journalism and keep it truly independent. It helps to build our international editorial team, from war correspondents to investigative reporters, commentators to critics.
on how to disable your ad blocker, and help us to keep providing you with free-thinking journalism - for free.
Thank you for your support.
How to disable your ad blocker for independent.co.uk
Adblock / Adblock Plus
Click the Adblock/Adblock Plus icon, which is to the right of your address bar.
On Adblock click "Don't run on pages on this domain".
On Adblock Plus click "Enabled on this site" to disable ad blocking for the current website you are on. If you are in Firefox click "disable on independent.co.uk".
Firefox Tracking Protection
If you are Private Browsing in Firefox, "Tracking Protection" may cause the adblock notice to show. It can be temporarily disabled by clicking the "shield" icon in the address bar.
Click the Ghostery icon.
In versions before 6.0 click "whitelist site".
In version 6.0 click "trust site" or add independent.co.uk to your Trusted Site list.
In versions before 6.0 you will see the message "Site is whitelisted".
Click "reload the page to see your changes".
Click the uBlock icon.
Then click the big power button to whitelist the current web site, and its state will be remembered next time you visit the web site.
Then reload the page.
Thank you for supporting independent.co.uk
Continue to our siteTim Sherwood: I want to sign more English stars at Tottenham | Daily Mail OnlineJuventus want to sign a playmaker, says Allegri -
By Joe Wright
26 Dec :00
The Bianconeri boss says he is looking at bringing in defensive reinforcement and a new trequartista - but insists he is still counting on Andrea Pirlo
are exploring the possibility of signing some defensive cover and a new playmaker, head coach
has revealed.The Serie A leaders have long been rumoured to be laying the groundwork for some January transfers, with Barcelona full-back Martin Montoya widely expected to be considering a switch to Turin next month.Allegri, however, has indicated that he has several other targets in mind when it comes to bolstering his defence and also admits he is looking to sign a new creative attacking player.He told Sky Sport Italia: "We know what we need to improve. Montoya is a good full-back but he still plays for Barcelona, and there are other players. We'll discuss whether to sign a full-back or a central defender. A playmaker wouldn't hurt."However, the former AC Milan boss was quick to stress that any pursuit of another ball playing midfielder will not see Andrea Pirlo phased out of his plans."Problems with Pirlo? Absolutely not. I just have to handle him carefully because he's 35 and I want him at his best for certain occasions," he said.Allegri admits the team are angry at having failed to win the Supercoppa Italiana against Napoli and has called on his players to make "a major leap" in the Champions League in the new year."We are very angry and disappointed that we did not bring the trophy home," he continued."Juventus should make a major leap. This is especially key in Europe: we have to win the championship but I think the most important step we have to take is in Europe."Juve may be one of the strongest, as are Real Madrid, Bayern [Munich], Barcelona and Chelsea. "It's too simplistic to think Juve are happy to get to the knockout phase of the Champions League. The boys must become aware of their quality."Allegri, who replaced Antonio Conte at the end of last season, is confident the Serie A title race is between Juventus and Roma in 2015 as he looks to forge his own reputation following their domestic dominance of recent years."In 2015 it will definitely be a duel between us and Roma. The others are too far behind," he added.
"I want to stay as long as possible and write important pages in the history of this club."
Premier League
Primera División
Bundesliga
UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
Championship
International Champions Cup
European Championship
League One
League Two
WC Qualification Europe
Matchday 12
Matchday 12}