Brendan Rodgers has targeted an FA Cup triumph this season to provide the perfect send-off for Steven Gerrard, with the final falling on the Liverpool captain's 35th birthday and shortly before he departs the club for the US.
Gerrard scored twice in Monday night's 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon in the third round of the competition, producing a fine display, despite the League Two team causing numerous problems for Liverpool. Adebayo Akinfenwa drew Wimbledon level in the first half but a Gerrard free-kick in the 62nd minute secured the Premier League club's safe passage into the fourth round, where Bolton Wanderers await.
The decision to allow Gerrard to leave Anfield in the summer has been questioned since the announcement last week. This was the midfielder’s first match since the revelation and Rodgers dismissed the suggestion that impressive performances put that decision under greater scrutiny.
Gerrard has twice won the FA Cup – in 2001 and 2006 – and he and Rodgers want a third personal success before a career swan song in Major League Soccer.
“I think the FA Cup final is on his birthday, so there would be no better way, for him. It would be a wonderful send-off for him,” said Rodgers. “There are a lot of games to play in between. If we could do it, it will be really special.
“He was outstanding in the game, a brilliant individual performance from him and the real catalyst for us. It was a tough game overall. In the second half we were much better, he scored two and probably if he was a really selfish player he would have stayed on the ball and got a hat-trick. He was outstanding but he’s still trying to create opportunities for other players.”
Gerrard added: “I always enjoy the FA Cup. I grew up loving the competition. It’ll be the last time, so I want to make the most of it and go all the way. It doesn’t matter where you are, form goes out the window in the FA Cup and it’s a leveller. I know what it means to supporters. If I wasn’t in this team I’d be in the stands, so I’ll always try to give my best whether I’m playing AC Milan or Wimbledon.”
The Wimbledon manager, Neil Ardley, praised his side’s performance but was ultimately left disappointed by the result. He said: “With a little more quality and a little more nous we could at have come away with at least draw. We got outdone by a world-class player in the end.”
(Guardian service)
