Liverpool: Steven Gerrard's 10 Most Defining Moments
It was hard to narrow it down to just 10...
As the curtain is drawn on Steven Gerrard's time in the Premier League, Liverpool fans are faced with the terrifying prospect of life without their leader. The only thing that can possibly see supporters of the Anfield club through such a daunting period is the promise of major signings coming into the club to replace him.
And there lies the problem - the man, in every essence of the word, is utterly irreplaceable.
There doesn't exist, in world football, a player who understands the club quite like he does. A man that can totally control and influence a game like Stevie did in his glory years.
No one.
Steven Gerrard's career has been inundated with hugely significant moments, which each, in-turn, have contributed to the making of a sporting legend. He has scored, he has sacrificed, he has slipped and suffered too - but all of these elements have influenced a spectacularly intriguing career at Anfield.
From potentially partnering Frank Lampard in Chelsea blue, to winning the Champions League for his boyhood team, Gerrard's time in as a Liverpool player has been exciting, to say the least.
In what has been a disappointing week for Liverpool fans after Gerrard's farewell game ended with a punishing defeat, let's focus on the happier times and count down the Liverpool man's 10 best career moments.
10. Making His Senior Debut
Gerrard’s official introduction to life as a Premier League footballer was relatively low-key, scuttling onto the holy Anfield turf as an 89th minute substitute for Vegard Heggem in a 2-0 win over a distinctly average Blackburn Rovers side in 1998.
In an extract from his autobiography, Gerrard stated: “All the subs were applauded when Gerard Houlier sent us to warm up. Well, nearly all. When I ran towards the Kop I could almost hear them saying ‘Who’s this skinny little t—t?’”
A week later, to national surprise, a young, spindly 18-year-old Steven Gerrard was handed his full debut at Tottenham and given a predominantly defensive brief. Gerrard was faced with the intimidating task of quashing the threat of the Flying Frenchman, David Ginola - who, later that year, was crowned Footballer of the Year.
Gerrard was hooked just after half-time and the less said about his performance in this particular game, the better - let’s say. But the experience provided him with an immense determination to improve which would, in-turn, mark the start of a prestigious and emphatically successful career.