Soccer: Triumphant Liverpool have air of champions

Photo / File

Victory over Manchester City brings team nearer first league championship in 24 years.

Liverpool have the look of champions and the look on Steven Gerrard's face at the final whistle of this tumultuous victory signalled its deep significance. It meant he and his exciting team were closer to the title, closer to a first league championship in 24 years.

His team had given everything, technically, physically and mentally. For a half, they were a storm in red, blowing Manchester City to pieces, scoring through Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel.

After demonstrating their pace and poise, Liverpool then faltered, conceding to David Silva's strike and a Glen Johnson own goal, before demonstrating their other traits, their resilience, their belief. Philippe Coutinho scored the winner and Liverpool are climbing back on their perch.

At 3-2, this was Liverpool's 10th win on the spin and their ability to do it the hard way, to stand up to such formidable opponents as City, bore the hallmarks of champions. The momentum is with Liverpool. Their fans' emotion, their manager's tactics and captain's commitment are sweeping them towards the Premier League trophy.

"Dare to dream" read the banner in the Kop and they do. If they defeat Norwich (away), Chelsea (home), Crystal Palace (away) and Newcastle (home), they are guaranteed to be crowned champions.

They know there is work to be done, obstacles to overcome, and Jordan Henderson's late red card rules him out of three of the games, while Jose Mourinho's Chelsea must never be discounted, but this felt pivotal for Liverpool.

City will not give up the chase, but they left Anfield vanquished and frustrated.

This game meant so much. It was also more than a game for Gerrard and his team. Emotion flowed because of the special nature of the occasion, with moving tributes paid to the 96 Liverpool supporters who went to a game 25 years ago and never came home. Gerrard's cousin died at Hillsborough and the midfielder always looks for Jon-Paul Gilhooley's name by the Shankly Gates.

Liverpool's manager, Brendan Rodgers, spoke afterwards of how energised his squad had been driving into Anfield, seeing all the fans beseeching them to defeat their closest rivals. The fans want this trophy as badly as their captain.

The last time Liverpool won the league, Gerrard was a 9-year-old kicking about on the road outside his house in nearby Huyton. Since then, he has lived with the sounds of jubilation along the East Lancs Rd.

So that is why Gerrard so stirred his teammates before kickoff, why he helped create Liverpool's second and then rallied the team late on. It was why he gathered the players in a huddle at the end, his eyes reddening with emotion as Jon Flanagan, Mamadou Sakho and Skrtel first gathered around him, hugging him, then Simon Mignolet, and the rest. It was why Gerrard felt it was the longest 90 minutes he had ever experienced.

The part played by Liverpool fans cannot be overstated. The Kop was transformed into a mosaic, highlighting "96" and "25 YEARS".

This was one of the classic Premier League games, full of attacking and occasional controversy, but Liverpool held on. If they stay strong, Gerrard and company may soon be holding on to the Premier League trophy.