The script was written perfectly until about 9.45pm last night. He had scored a tremendous goal which looked like putting Liverpool back to the summit of the Barclays Premier League, along with a massive vote of confidence for his manager, and all just a couple of days before his court hearing. But Steven Gerrard doesn't always get things his own way. Occasionally, just occasionally, a spanner is thrown in the works. Last night Tim Cahill threw that spanner.
In what can at best be described as an average Liverpool performance, one moment of genius from their captain and midfield dynamo looked set to win the 209th Merseyside derby and send most of Anfield home happy, but Gerrard's 2nd half 25 yard effort was cancelled out by Everton's makeshift striker grabbing an absolutely vital goal.
The truth was, Liverpool really needed to win last night. In a couple of weeks of internal and external fighting, Sir Alex Ferguson's dig at Liverpool "cracking" under pressure appears to have started to come true. Rafael Benitez's irrational, and slightly strange outbursts at first Ferguson, and then United chief executive David Gill appeared to have completely the opposite to the desired effect. His Liverpool side spluttered to an unconvincing 0-0 draw at Stoke, while the champions brushed aside Chelsea the following day.
The match yesterday was a perfect opportunity to put that right. Benitez was bold from the start, playing Keane, Torres and Gerrard in the line-up. But Torres looks short of match sharpness, and missed a couple of chances that last season, he may well have put away. Keane, the forgotten figure, was once again anonymous - it really seemed that he went un-noticed for much of the game by his team-mates. He made runs off the ball that weren't spotted, and when he did have the ball, the Keane on show was unrecognisable from the wizard we were all so used to at Tottenham.
Let us not forget though, there were two teams playing in this football match. Everton have now not lost in 7 since that remarkable late show by Aston Villa at Goodison in November, and have drawn this season with Chelsea, Manchester United and now Liverpool. Their away record is contending with any in the top flight, but the next step for the blue half of Merseyside is going to be the toughest. The depth of their squad, or lack of it, has been shown up by the striker crisis at the moment, but Cahill and co appear to be doing a great job in covering up the cracks.
Everton restricted their rivals to half-chances, and even the Liverpool goal could only be counted as that, a half-chance. Victor Aniechebe felt he should have had a penalty on at least 1 count, maybe two, but it wasn't given and Liverpool broke away. Gerrard pulled the trigger from 25 yards, leaving ex Manchester United stopper Tim Howard absolutely no chance. Everton themselves didn't look like scoring before they did, but the sheer brilliance of Mikel Arteta's deliveries will always pose a threat.
Yossi Benayoun, ironically the man who replaced Robbie Keane, gave away a needless foul in Arteta territory, something that Alex Ferguson would have said "champions just don't do". Rafa's zonal marking will be called into question again as Cahill was allowed a completely free header at the near post, stooping to equalise in the 87th minute.
Man United now sit pretty at the top of the Premiership on goal difference, having played a game less than Liverpool, and didn't the Everton fans just know it. Shouts of "United - top of the league" came from the away section of Anfield, much to the disgust of the Kop. But they couldn't do anything about that, having taken off their main marksman Torres, and bringing on Lucas to steady the ship before Everton equalised.
If Liverpool are going to maintain a challenge for honours, especially in the Premier League, the internal squabbling needs to be sorted. Daniel Agger needs to sign a new contract, Rafa Benitez can wait until the end of the season for us, and all of Liverpool will be hoping that the court are lenient on their captain at the end of the week. Saying that, had you offered this position to any Liverpool fan at the start of the season, they'd have bitten your hand off.
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