Liverpool Reserve Their Best For Games That Matter

Merseyside derbies, Manchester United derbies, "Big Four" derbies, Champions League, Carling Cup, FA Cup - these are big games that Liverpool in recent times love and strive to win. Hence it should be no surprise that the Reds thumped the Blues of Liverpool 3-0 with a classy hattrick from the soon-to-be Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Liverpool invariably raise their game in big matches and so it proved against Everton. It's been a while since the Reds have scored three goals this season in the Premier League so it was a nice gesture from Moyes' team to be so generous in defence.

This win underlines the importance of the midfield supporting the frontline, something that Liverpool clearly lacked this whole season. Before his controversial departure, Raul Meireles was providing that all-important midfield runs into the box. This season, the expectation was on young Jordan Henderson to do that but much like Liverpool, Henderson is still a work in progress. So in stepped Steven Gerrard who reprised his old midfield role and treated his adoring fans with marauding runs and three great goals.

Gerrard is peerless when going forward, so I hope that from now till the end of the season, he will shelve his own desire to reinvent himself as a deep-lying Pirlo-like playmaker. In the long term, the Liverpool captain's ideal position should be as a deep-lying playmaker but Liverpool need him to support the misfiring Reds attack.

Liverpudlians have not seen a hattrick in the Merseyside derby since Ian Rush plundered four goals in 1982. With very little else to cheer for this season, I just want to enjoy and bask in the warmth of this super Liverpool win with that long-ago 1982 video.

 

Next up is a potentially tricky FA Cup tie against Stoke City. Win that and another exciting Cup run could be in store for Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish. The Carling Cup was won in dramatic fashion, and if Liverpool can win the FA Cup, then a Manchester City-inspired turnaround could be on the cards for all Reds fans next season. 

Any Premiership title-chasing team need to build a competent squad and also develop a winning mentality, both of which Dalglish and the Liverpool owners are methodically edging towards this season.