Liverpool: Steven Gerrard's 10 Most Defining Moments
7. Goal Line Heroics In His First Merseyside Derby
As a youngster Gerrard was a difficult player to manage.
He had a tendency to make rash tackles as the adrenaline got the better of him in high-pressure games, succumbing to a handful of sending offs or otherwise being substituted to avoid the risk of seeing red.
With this in mind, then-boss Gerard Houlier made the decision not to start Gerrard in this 1999 Merseyside derby, and later use him as an impact player off the bench if necessary. Even Houlier, Gerrard’s biggest advocate, could not have foreseen the dramatic impact Gerrard would have in helping The Reds defeat their bitterest rivals.
With Liverpool leading 3-2, Everton pushed hard for an equaliser and twice thought they had netted - but for a baby-faced Steven Gerrard producing two stunning, last-ditch goal line clearances to keep Everton forward Danny Cadametri at bay.