Ban leaves Gerrard out in the cold for club and country

STEVEN GERRARD has been frozen out of Liverpool’s chase for honours with a three-match ban after being found guilty of violent conduct at an FA disciplinary hearing yesterday.

And because the England midfielder will be serving a domestic ban, he will not be considered for selection by Sven-Goran Eriksson for the February 12 friendly with Australia at Upton Park.

The FA charged Gerrard after viewing video evidence of the player’s two-footed lunge on Everton defender Gary Naysmith during the goalless Merseyside derby at Anfield on December 22.

Referee Graham Poll, who did not punish Gerrard or even give a free-kick because he did not see the incident properly, was also called to give evidence at the hearing.

No fine was imposed but the player and club must pay the costs of the hearing, The midfielder, who braved a blizzard to get into Bolton’s Reebok Stadium for the three-hour hearing, will consequently be left out in the cold for the next few weeks of Liverpool’s drive for silverware.

He will miss tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth-round replay with Crystal Palace, Saturday’s Barclaycard Premiership visit of Middlesbrough and the trip to Birmingham on February 23.

It is a serious blow for Gerrard, who blasted a stunning goal to help Liverpool win 3-0 at West Ham on Sunday as the team’s recovery from a damaging poor run continues. Gerrard left the hearing without comment but manager Gerard Houllier said: “I would not have come here to defend him if I felt he was guilty.”

The only bright spot for Gerrard is that the 22-year-old will play in the two legs of the UEFA Cup against Auxerre as well as the Worthington Cup Final in Cardiff against Manchester United on March 2.