Gerrard leads Liverpool defiance

By Trevor Haylett at Stamford Bridge

When Steven Gerrard last faced these opponents he ended up a figure of dismay. His dream of leading his boyhood club to their first trophy under his captaincy had been scuppered through his own fallibility. An own goal, bringing Chelsea FC back into the English League Cup final they then went on to win, was not how he wanted that particular fixture to be remembered.

Bad memory
The freak equaliser, a glancing header that went in off the post, had a resonance beyond the destiny of English football's first major prize of the season. As a Liverpool FC player reportedly close to joining Chelsea last summer, a possible move which continues to arouse intense speculation, it was inevitable that the comics would mark it down as the first of many Gerrard goals for the Londoners.

Gerrard crucial
Last night Gerrard was again expected to prove a central figure as these teams squared up for the fourth time in five months. Although Liverpool were the away team and likely to come under pressure, one commonly-held view was that to win their passage to Istanbul they would have to score at Stamford Bridge to give themselves something to defend at Anfield.

Supporting role
Gerrard would be crucial to that strategy. As the most advanced of Liverpool's midfield players he was expected to break forward to join lone striker Milan Baroš in the box. Ideally he would score himself, or set up Baroš to do so. Xabi Alonso and Igor Bišcan held deeper positions, erecting a protective shield in front of the defence and allowing Alonso to unleash those accurate passes to either flank.

Early struggle
Gerrard's early touches were inconsequential; an early back-heel near the touchline failed to come off. The first time he stretched his legs they carried him over the halfway line in typical fashion. Then the ball ran frustratingly away from him and out for a throw.

Chances accrue
The chances began to accrue but the game remained on a knife-edge all the way through. Which would count for more? Liverpool's vastly superior record in the competition - four times winners of the European Champion Clubs' Cup - or Chelsea's overwhelming superiority in head-to-head combat this term?

Pressing desire
Those who have played the game at this rarefied level will insist that history - even so glorious a past as Liverpool's - is irrelevant over the 90 minutes. It comes down to the team in best form on the day. Motivation and desire could be taken as read - both wanted it as badly as the other.

Hyypiä defiant
Liverpool were defending well. They escaped punishment when Frank Lampard followed the path of Joe Cole's downward header but blasted over from close in. It was remarkable that Sami Hyypiä had not been around to clear - his anticipation so often brought a conclusion to Chelsea's attacks.

Robben arrives
Arjen Robben's arrival cheered up the home crowd. Chelsea needed something special to make the breakthrough, so well drilled have Liverpool become in this kind of cautious operation. Robben’s first run had three defenders bounce off him in quick succession. Nothing came from it and nor from Gerrard's first hint at an attempt on goal when Riise played him in.

Cissé miss
A better example of Gerrard's talent came with a first-time pass to Djibril Cissé in the inside-right channel. Revenge for the captain and his team? The ball fizzed over. There was to be no away goal with Gerrard slicing a late attempt wide. But he and his team would be satisfied with 0-0.