28 October 2007 - Stevie G Completes a Fourth C

On 28 October 2007, Steven Gerrard made his 400th appearance for Liverpool, scoring in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Born in the nearby Merseyside village of Whiston, Gerrard joined Liverpool as a youth player in 1987 and signed a professional contract with them ten years later. He made debuted with the first team on 29 November 1998 and made a total of thirteen appearances that season across all competitions.

By the next season, he had secured a regular starting spot in central midfield, making 31 appearances in 1999-2000 and 50 in 2000-01. In the latter, he also scored a total of 10 goals as Liverpool won a treble consisting of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup.

He became the team captain in 2003 and additional trophies followed, including the dramatic victory over AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League in which Gerrard scored Liverpool's first goal to start a comeback from 3-0 down to win on penalties, 3-3 (2-3).

For his 400th club appearance, Liverpool hosted Arsenal at Anfield, where Gerrard's 7th-minute free kick from the edge of the box (pictured) put his team up 1-0. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas delivered an equalizer in the 80th minute to finish the day at 1-1.

13 April 2008 - Tonight, He Dines At Anfield!

On 13 April 2008, Steven Gerrard made his 300th appearance for Liverpool. And he did it in style, scoring one goal and assisting another in a 3-1 win over Blackburn.

Born on Merseyside in 1980, Gerrard has been with Liverpool since joining them as a youth player in 1987. He became a professional in 1997 and made his first appearance in a 2-0 win over Blackburn in November 1998. 

He became a regular starter in the 1999-2000 season, then won his first silverware the following season as the Reds claimed the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup. He then became team captain in October 2003.

His 300th appearance came at Anfield, where the midfielder delivered the opening goal in the 60th minute, passing through two defenders and sending the ball through the legs of a third before putting it into the back of the net. He helped double the lead 22 minutes later, providing a cross that was knocked home by striker Fernando Torres. Forward Andriy Voronin added a third in the 90th minute before Rovers got one back in stoppage time to end the day as a 3-1 Liverpool victory.

Gerrard remained with Liverpool until 2015 and pushed his final appearance count to 710.

9 January 2007 - Baptista Catches Fire

On 9 January 2007, Liverpool and Arsenal played a 9-goal thriller in the Carling Cup 5th Round, including a missed penalty.

The quarterfinal meeting paired the Premier League's third- and fourth-place teams, with hosts Liverpool sitting one point higher than Arsenal. But the Gunners were confident having beaten Liverpool 1-3 at Anfield in the FA Cup the previous week (they had also won 3-0 in the league back in November).

It was a day to remember for Arsenal striker Julio Baptista, who--after several years of rumors linking him to the club--had finally joined the Londoners at the start of the season on loan from Real Madrid. Despite his reputation as a prolific scorer, he started the day with only one goal to his Arsenal account. That changed in the 40th minute. After a pair of early goals from Arsenal's Jérémie Aliadière and Liverpool's Robbie Fowler, Baptista broke the deadlock with a 25-yard free kick.

Then, after Alex Song put Arsenal ahead 3-1 with what appeared to be a handball off a corner kick in the 45th minute, Baptista quickly struck again before the break, delivering the ball to Aliadière on the wing then receiving it back to tap into an open net. He had a chance for a hat-trick early in the second half when Aliadière earned a penalty, but Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek parried Baptista's shot.

He eventually completed his hat-trick in the 60th minute and added a fourth in the 84th minute, while Liverpool got goals from Steven Gerrard (68') and Sami Hyypia (80') to finish the day at 3-6. Arsenal went on to reach the final, where they lost to Chelsea, while both Baptista and Aliadière moved away from Arsenal at the end of the season.

25 October 2009 - There's Something To Be Said For Consistency

On 25 October 2009, Manchester United center back Nemanja Vidić received a 90th-minute red card against Liverpool--his third ejection in three consecutive games against the Reds.

In both of the teams' meetings the previous season, Vidić failed to make it to the final whistle and both ended as Liverpool victories. The first, at Anfield in September 2008, saw the defender receive a second yellow card in the 90th minute as the Reds edged to a 2-1 win. In the return fixture in March, he drew a straight red for a 76th-minute foul on Steven Gerrard, who had gotten through on a clear goalscoring opportunity. Liverpool won 1-4.

Things got no better for Vidić in the next meeting. Playing at Anfield, Fernando Torres put the hosts up 1-0 in the 65th minute after fending off pressure from Rio Ferdinand and driving the ball over Edwin Van der Sar into the roof of the net. Ten minutes later, Vidić earned his first yellow card of the day.

His second came in the 90th minute. With Dirk Kuyt about to blow past him to latch onto a deep ball, the Serbian defender delivered a flying challenge that stopped Kuyt cold. Referee Andre Marriner then produced a yellow and a red card in quick succession. (It was the first of two reds on the day, as Javier Mascherano joined Vidić with a stoppage-time exit.) And David N'Gog's strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time sealed the 2-0 win for Liverpool.

1 September 2001 - Liverpool Beats Germany

On 1 September 2001, England beat Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier, with all five of their goals coming from Liverpool players. 

The two teams have a longstanding rivalry, highlighted by England's win over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final. Going into the qualifier, the overall record stood at ten wins for England, eleven for Germany (including two on penalty kicks), and three draws. Germany had gotten the better of England in their most recent matches, winning six of the last seven. 

In the qualifier, played at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany looked likely to continue their winning ways when forward Carsten Jancker opened the scoring in just the 6th minute. But striker Michael Owen (pictured), coming off a treble-winning season with Liverpool, equalized six minutes later. The teams remained evenly matched through the remainder of the first half, but Owen's Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard blasted the ball into the German net from distance to put the visitors ahead. 

The second half belonged to England, as Owen notched his second goal in the 48th minute, then completed his hat-trick in the 66th-minute after latching on to a precision pass from Gerrard and blasting the ball over keeper Oliver Kahn. 

The day's last goal came from yet another Liverpool player, forward Emile Heskey, who completed the rout in the 74th minute.The four-goal margin of victory was the highest in the rivalry's history, beating the previous record of three set by England in 1935, 1938, and 1985. 

England went on to win the qualification group and Germany finished second. But the Germans got the last laugh in the tournament proper, finishing as losing finalists while England fell in the quarterfinals (both teams were eliminated by Brazil). 

7 January 2006 - Alonso's Long-Distance Delivery

On 7 January 2006, Liverpool overcame a two-goal second half deficit against Luton Town in the FA Cup Third Round, capping the win with a 65-yard goal from midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The reigning Champions League winners, Liverpool were sitting third in the Premier League table, having just ended a 10-match winning streak with a draw against Bolton. So it was no surprise when they opened the scoring with a 16th-minute Steven Gerrard to take the lead against Luton, then a mid-table Championship side freshly promoted from League One.

But the tide turned midway through the first half, as the Luton midfield took control of the match. They were rewarded with a 31st-minute equalizer from forward Steve Howard, then took the lead 12 minutes later with a goal from midfielder Steve Robinson. In the second half, the hosts were awarded a penalty when Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson brought striker Rowan Vine down in the box. Luton captain Kevin Nicholls converted the 53rd-minute spot kick to extend the lead to 3-1.

But the hosts began to wear down, conceding three goals in the space of 12 minutes, including a brace from substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle (62', 74') and one from Alonso (69'). Alonso secured the win with a flourish in stoppage time, collecting the rebound from a Luton corner, rounding the keeper who had come up for the kick, then driving a left-footed shot from inside his own half that curled into the center of the unguarded Luton net.

Liverpool used the victory as a springboard, going on to win the Cup that year.

25 May 2005 - The Miracle Of Istanbul

On 25 May 2005, Liverpool won their fifth European Cup/Champions League trophy, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat AC Milan on penalties 3-3 (3-2) before a crowd of 70,000 at Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium.

The win salvaged an otherwise disappointing season for the Reds, who had finished the Premier League season in fifth place after an early FA Cup elimination and a loss to Chelsea in the League Cup Final. The win also allowed Liverpool to compete in the next season's Champions League - their fifth-place League finish was outside the four qualification spots, but UEFA granted them a special exemption to compete in 2005-06 as title holders.

Milan were favored to win and, true to form, took an early lead with a volley from captain Paolo Maldini after only 51 seconds (it was the fastest-ever goal in a European Cup/Champions League Final and made the 36-year old Maldini the competition's oldest-ever goalscorer). Liverpool attacked the Milan area, but were unable to break through the Italians' defense. Liverpool's efforts exposed them to a counter-attack, resulting in two more Milan goals before the break, both from Argentinian striker Hernán Crespo (38', 42'), on loan from Chelsea. 

Milan's 3-0 lead looked insurmountable, but Liverpool renewed their pressure after the break. They played only three defenders in order to bolster their attack, which paid dividends when they scored three goals in a six-minute period (Gerrard 54', Šmicer 56', Alonso 60') to draw level. Despite Liverpool's weakened back line, Milan were unable to score and the match went to extra time, then to penalty kicks.

Milan went first in the shootout and missed their first two kicks - the first went over the bar, while the second was easily saved. Liverpool made their first two, but their third was saved, so that after four kicks, Liverpool were ahead 3-2. Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, who had scored the winning penalty in the 2003 Final, stepped up to take Milan's last kick, knowing that he needed to convert it in order to prevent Liverpool from winning. Unfortunately for Milan, he sent it right down the middle where it was saved by keeper Jerzy Dudek.

12 June 2010 - Dempsey Has To Get A Little Credit For Taking The Shot, Right?

On 12 June 2010, a highly-anticipated World Cup meeting between the US and England ended as a draw after a shocking error by one of the goalkeepers.

It was the first match of the tournament in Group C, which also included Algeria and Slovenia. England were heavy favorites, having come through UEFA qualification with ease by winning nine of their ten matches. The United States cut it a little closer, winning six and losing two of their ten games, but were still the top finisher in CONCACAF.

They met at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, where a vuvuzela-fueled crowd of almost 39,000 gathered for the occasion. England quickly took the lead with a 4th-minute goal from captain Steven Gerrard, who received the ball at the top of the penalty area, beat one defender, then slotted it home past keeper Tim Howard.

But their dream start was spoiled just before the break. In the 40th minute, US midfielder Clint Dempsey took a speculative left-footed shot from 25 yards out. England keeper Robert Green was well-placed to stop the low ball and appeared ready to cradle it up into his arms when it slipped by him to his right and rolled over the line. The English press dubbed the howler "the Hand of Clod."

England controlled most of the second half, but could not beat Howard and the game ended as a 1-1 draw. The US and England went on to finish first and second in the group, respectively, after a win and draw in their other two matches, then both were eliminated in the first knockout round.

28 October 2007 - Stevie Gets His Fourth G

On 28 October 2007, Steven Gerrard made his 400th appearance for Liverpool, scoring in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Born in the nearby Merseyside village of Whiston, Gerrard joined Liverpool as a youth player in 1987 and signed a professional contract with them ten years later. He made debuted with the first team on 29 November 1998 and made a total of thirteen appearances that season across all competitions.

By the next season, he had secured a regular starting spot in central midfield, making 31 appearances in 1999-2000 and 50 in 2000-01. In the latter, he also scored a total of 10 goals as Liverpool won a treble consisting of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup.

He became the team captain in 2003 and additional trophies followed, including the dramatic victory over AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League in which Gerrard scored Liverpool's first goal to start a comeback from 3-0 down to win on penalties, 3-3 (2-3).

For his 400th club appearance, Liverpool hosted Arsenal at Anfield, where Gerrard's 7th-minute free kick from the edge of the box (pictured) put his team up 1-0. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas delivered an equalizer in the 80th minute to finish the day at 1-1. Since then, Gerrard has continued to captain Liverpool, making a current total 597 appearances across all competitions, ranking him tenth on the club's all-time list.

13 April 2008 - Tonight, He Dines At Anfield!

On 13 April 2008, Steven Gerrard made his 300th appearance for Liverpool. And he did it in style, scoring one goal and assisting another in a 3-1 win over Blackburn.

Born on Merseyside in 1980, Gerrard has been with Liverpool since joining them as a youth player in 1987. He became a professional in 1997 and made his first appearance in a 2-0 win over Blackburn in November 1998.

He became a regular starter in the 1999-2000 season, then won his first silverware the following season as the Reds claimed the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup. He then became team captain in October 2003.

His 300th appearance came at Anfield, where the midfielder delivered the opening goal in the 60th minute, passing through two defenders and sending the ball through the legs of a third before putting it into the back of the net. He helped double the lead 22 minutes later, providing a cross that was knocked home by striker Fernando Torres. Forward Andriy Voronin added a third in the 90th minute before Rovers got one back in stoppage time to end the day as a 3-1 Liverpool victory.

Gerrard remains with Liverpool and has since pushed his appearance count to 577.

9 January 2007 - Baptista Catches Fire

On 9 January 2007, Liverpool and Arsenal played a 9-goal thriller in the Carling Cup 5th Round, including a missed penalty.

The quarterfinal meeting paired the Premier League's third- and fourth-place teams, with hosts Liverpool sitting one point higher than Arsenal. But the Gunners were confident having beaten Liverpool 1-3 at Anfield in the FA Cup the previous week (they had also won 3-0 in the league back in November).

It was a day to remember for Arsenal striker Julio Baptista, who--after several years of rumors linking him to the club--had finally joined the Londoners at the start of the season on loan from Real Madrid. Despite his reputation as a prolific scorer, he started the day with only one goal to his Arsenal account. That changed in the 40th minute. After a pair of early goals from Arsenal's Jérémie Aliadière and Liverpool's Robbie Fowler, Baptista broke the deadlock with a 25-yard free kick.

Then, after Alex Song put Arsenal ahead 3-1 with what appeared to be a handball off a corner kick in the 45th minute, Baptista quickly struck again before the break, delivering the ball to Aliadière on the wing then receiving it back to tap into an open net. He had a chance for a hat-trick early in the second half when Aliadière earned a penalty, but Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek parried Baptista's shot.

He eventually completed his hat-trick in the 60th minute and added a fourth in the 84th minute, while Liverpool got goals from Steven Gerrard (68') and Sami Hyypia (80') to finish the day at 3-6. Arsenal went on to reach the final, where they lost to Chelsea, while both Baptista and Aliadière moved away from Arsenal at the end of the season.

25 October 2009 - There's Something To Be Said For Consistency

On 25 October 2009, Manchester United center back Nemanja Vidić received a 90th-minute red card against Liverpool--his third ejection in three consecutive games against the Reds.

In both of the teams' meetings the previous season, Vidić failed to make it to the final whistle and both ended as Liverpool victories. The first, at Anfield in September 2008, saw the defender receive a second yellow card in the 90th minute as the Reds edged to a 2-1 win. In the return fixture in March, he drew a straight red for a 76th-minute foul on Steven Gerrard, who had gotten through on a clear goalscoring opportunity. Liverpool won 1-4.

Things got no better for Vidić in the next meeting. Playing at Anfield, Fernando Torres put the hosts up 1-0 in the 65th minute after fending off pressure from Rio Ferdinand and driving the ball over Edwin Van der Sar into the roof of the net. Ten minutes later, Vidić earned his first yellow card of the day.

His second came in the 90th minute. With Dirk Kuyt about to blow past him to latch onto a deep ball, the Serbian defender delivered a flying challenge that stopped Kuyt cold. Referee Andre Marriner then produced a yellow and a red card in quick succession. (It was the first of two reds on the day, as Javier Mascherano joined Vidić with a stoppage-time exit.) And David N'Gog's strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time sealed the 2-0 win for Liverpool.

1 September 2001 - Liverpool Beats Germany

On 1 September 2001, England beat Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier, with all five of their goals coming from Liverpool players.

The two teams have a longstanding rivalry, highlighted by England's win over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final. Going into the qualifier, the overall record stood at ten wins for England, eleven for Germany (including two on penalty kicks), and three draws. Germany had gotten the better of England in their most recent matches, winning six of the last seven.

In the qualifier, played at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany looked likely to continue their winning ways when forward Carsten Jancker opened the scoring in just the 6th minute. But striker Michael Owen (pictured), coming off a treble-winning season with Liverpool, equalized six minutes later. The teams remained evenly matched through the remainder of the first half, but Owen's Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard blasted the ball into the German net from distance to put the visitors ahead.

The second half belonged to England, as Owen notched his second goal in the 48th minute, then completed his hat-trick in the 66th-minute after latching on to a precision pass from Gerrard and blasting the ball over keeper Oliver Kahn.

The day's last goal came from yet another Liverpool player, forward Emile Heskey, who completed the rout in the 74th minute.The four-goal margin of victory was the highest in the rivalry's history, beating the previous record of three set by England in 1935, 1938, and 1985.

England went on to win the qualification group and Germany finished second. But the Germans got the last laugh in the tournament proper, finishing as losing finalists while England fell in the quarterfinals (both teams were eliminated by Brazil).

7 January 2006 - Alonso's Long-Distance Delivery

On 7 January 2006, Liverpool overcame a two-goal second half deficit against Luton Town in the FA Cup Third Round, capping the win with a 65-yard goal from midfielder Xabi Alonso (pictured).

The reigning Champions League winners, Liverpool were sitting third in the Premier League table, having just ended a 10-match winning streak with a draw against Bolton. So it was no surprise when they opened the scoring with a 16th-minute Steven Gerrard to take the lead against Luton, then a mid-table Championship side freshly promoted from League One.

But the tide turned midway through the first half, as the Luton midfield took control of the match. They were rewarded with a 31st-minute equalizer from forward Steve Howard, then took the lead 12 minutes later with a goal from midfielder Steve Robinson. In the second half, the hosts were awarded a penalty when Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson brought striker Rowan Vine down in the box. Luton captain Kevin Nicholls converted the 53rd-minute spot kick to extend the lead to 3-1.

But the hosts began to wear down, conceding three goals in the space of 12 minutes, including a brace from substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle (62', 74') and one from Alonso (69'). Alsono secured the win with a flourish in stoppage time, collecting the rebound from a Luton corner, rounding the keeper who had come up for the kick, then driving a left-footed shot from inside his own half that curled into the center of the unguarded Luton net.

Liverpool used the victory as a springboard, going on to win the Cup that year.

25 May 2005 - The Miracle Of Istanbul

On 25 May 2005, Liverpool won their fifth European Cup/Champions League trophy, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat AC Milan on penalties 3-3 (3-2) before a crowd of 70,000 at Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium.

The win salvaged an otherwise disappointing season for the Reds, who had finished the Premier League season in fifth place after an early FA Cup elimination and a loss to Chelsea in the League Cup Final. The win also allowed Liverpool to compete in the next season's Champions League - their fifth-place League finish was outside the four qualification spots, but UEFA granted them a special exemption to compete in 2005-06 as title holders.

Milan were favored to win and, true to form, took an early lead with a volley from captain Paolo Maldini after only 51 seconds (it was the fastest-ever goal in a European Cup/Champions League Final and made the 36-year old Maldini the competition's oldest-ever goalscorer). Liverpool attacked the Milan area, but were unable to break through the Italians' defense. Liverpool's efforts exposed them to a counter-attack, resulting in two more Milan goals before the break, both from Argentinian striker Hernán Crespo (38', 42'), on loan from Chelsea.

Milan's 3-0 lead looked insurmountable, but Liverpool renewed their pressure after the break. They played only three defenders in order to bolster their attack, which paid dividends when they scored three goals in a six-minute period (Gerrard 54', Šmicer 56', Alonso 60') to draw level. Despite Liverpool's weakened back line, Milan were unable to score and the match went to extra time, then to penalty kicks.

Milan went first in the shootout and missed their first two kicks - the first went over the bar, while the second was easily saved. Liverpool made their first two, but their third was saved, so that after four kicks, Liverpool were ahead 3-2. Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, who had scored the winning penalty in the 2003 Final, stepped up to take Milan's last kick, knowing that he needed to convert it in order to prevent Liverpool from winning. Unfortunately for Milan, he sent it right down the middle where it was saved by keeper Jerzy Dudek.