Gerrard returns for Liverpool

Grasshopper 2 Liverpool 0

A WEEK away from their crucial Champions League qualifier, Liverpool must be relieved to find Steven Gerrard recovered from his World Cup misery.

The Anfield captain played his first 30 minutes of football since the World Cup exit in Gelsenkirchen yesterday. He looked to be recovered from that nightmare, and his failed part in the penalty shootout defeat to Portugal, to suggest he will be firing on all cylinders next Wednesday when Maccabi Haifa arrive at Anfield for the third qualifying round first leg.

Peter Crouch and Jamie Carragher also returned for the first time since Germany 2006 and equally looked to have discovered their form.

Liverpool lost this friendly in Zurich, their second defeat in four days, but Benitez will not be too bothered.

The match — played in front of 5,500 fans — saw a heavily-depleted Liverpool two goals behind at the break at the Hardturm Stadium and they never recovered.

Benitez had Fabio Aurelio, Robbie Fowler, Luis Garcia and Steve Finnan nursing injuries and left Gerrard, Crouch and Carragher on the bench.

The Swiss side scored twice in 13 minutes. The first came on 14 minutes when midfielder Veroljub Salatic saw a downward header elude Jose Reina before bouncing high into the net.

And with Liverpool playing three centre-backs and Sami Hyypia nursing youngsters Gabriel Paletta and Jack Hobbs through a difficult spell, Grasshopper scored again.

Paletta made a mess of a back pass in the 27th minute, allowing David Blumer to steal in and score.

Crouch was introduced at the break, along with Jan Kromkamp at right back and Djimi Traore on the left side of defence. Gonzalez, Paletta and Anderson all went off.

On the hour Gerrard arrived in place of Bellamy and almost scored inside a minute from a Pennant cross.

Gerrard later volleyed wide from a John Arne Riise cross, before Crouch had another effort beaten away.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Riise, Hyypia (captain), Paletta, Hobbs, Gonzalez, Zenden, Sissoko, Pennant, Anderson, Bellamy. Subs — Carson, Gerrard, Carragher, Kromkamp, Traore, Crouch, Garcia

GRASSHOPPER: Club Zurich: Coltori, , Schwesler, Rak, Pinto, Sutter, Voger, Salatic, Leon, Pavlovic, Blumer. Subs — Djukic, Seoane, Toure, Renggli, Klinger, Leskovci, Scheindorfer, Mbala, Cabanas, Jassy, Dos Santos

REFEREE: Rene Rogalla.