Steven Gerrard reveals slip against Chelsea which cost Liverpool Premier League title still haunts him six years on
STEVEN GERRARD admits his horror slip against Chelsea still haunts him six years on.
Despite his trophy-laden success in a red shirt, the former Liverpool and England captain remains plagued by that infamous moment he lost his footing during a key title match against the Blues at Anfield.
Chelsea striker Demba Ba profited from his mistake to score the opener for the Londoners in a 2-0 win.
Fernando Torres set up Willian in stoppage time to rub salt into the wound and finish Liverpool’s 11-game winning streak.
And the Reds ended up finishing two points behind Premier League champions Manchester City.
It was after beating City a fortnight earlier that Gerrard gave his memorable “We do not let this slip” speech — but unfortunately he went on to do just that.
Gerrard, now manager of Rangers, describes the Chelsea episode as a “brutal, cruel low in my life”.
He told the High Performance Podcast: “I park it up but it comes back, all the time. What triggers it? I don’t know. TV. Images. Just me reflecting. I am someone who thinks a lot. I always try to tap into experiences.
“This is not a thing that happens every single day, but it was such a big moment.
“I’ve had lots and lots of moments, some incredible moments, which I never dreamed of.
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“But your career takes you to some lows as well. It would be easy if you lifted the carpet, pushed them under and you never thought about them again. But I don’t think that’s ever going to be the case.”
Gerrard, 40, is adamant he felt no jealousy when Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool finally won the Premier League this summer, ending 30 years of hurt.
He said: “I felt like part of me healed more, than any of those feelings.”
Gerrard spent his entire playing career at Liverpool apart from a final season with LA Galaxy.
He added: “I know not only did it hurt me (in 2014), it hurt a lot of people who had followed this club for many, many years.
“Liverpool fans commit themselves to that club.
“They love the club, it’s in the heart. I’ve lived with it for 20 years and more.
“I knew what that meant, that Premier League (title), to an awful lot of people. My own family, to me. I mean, the way the club were with me, during that time, which will remain private.
“During that run-in, to win the Premier League, it was special how that club were with me.
“You’ve still got the relationships with all those people and stuff. I think a lot of people were probably wondering whether I was jealous, but no.”
- The High Performance Podcast with Jake Humphrey and Prof Damian Hughes is available every Monday on all podcast providers.