Gerrard lifts Reds into third

STEVEN GERRARD’S double sent Liverpool back above Arsenal into third place in the Barclays Premiership.

The Gunners took third spot by beating Manchester City 24 hours earlier, but Gerrard struck with two goals in five minutes during the second half at Anfield.

The England midfielder took his tally for the season to 11 goals, netting from 25 yards before converting a penalty.

Rafael Benitez insisted his Liverpool side must achieve one more league win ahead of their Champions League semi-final next week with Chelsea.

That, the Liverpool boss hopes, will come when Wigan are the visitors to Anfield on Saturday.

Benitez said: “We need that one more win before we play Chelsea, that will mean we will be able to concentrate fully on the Champions League semi-final matches.

“And Middlesbrough made things very hard for us. You know that when you play against a side who defend so deep, you have to keep the ball moving to find the opportunities and openings.

“In such situations you need to do your job, and the first goal is the key. Once we had scored that it meant they had to come out and that created the space we needed.”

And with the goals coming from Steven Gerrard, a 25-yard strike and a penalty, Benitez knew his side owed a debt to their skipper.

He said: “Quality players change games, and we know that players like Steven can do such things. It was a fine first goal, and it does not matter where we play him, either wide or in the middle, he can produce match-winning situations.”

Liverpool were well below par, but it was enough to snuff out a very ordinary Middlesbrough side, who are grateful to some decent early-season performances for keeping them out of a relegation dogfight.

Liverpool rested Steve Finnan and Xabi Alonso from the side who produced a poor performance which resulted in a goalless draw at Manchester City on Saturday, while Dirk Kuyt was relegated to the bench.

Benitez switched Alvaro Arbeloa from left to right-back and brought in Mohamed Sissoko, Boudewijn Zenden and Peter Crouch, leaving Gerrard again as the support striker.

Boro brought Andrew Davies, Lee Cattermole, Emanuel Pogatetz and James Morrison into the side that lost at Aston Villa last time out.

Much of the opening period was as bad as Liverpool’s indifferent display at Eastlands — one wayward drive from Aiyegbeni Yakubu was all either side could muster early on.

But at least Jermaine Pennant was looking lively and he produced a succession of crosses which needed the best attention of Boro’s back-line.

It took a solid block from Jonathan Woodgate to stop Crouch firing home from another Pennant cross which reached him on the far post.

Pennant continued to look the one player capable of opening up Boro’s defence, and a 28th-minute run and cross on the right resulted in a shot sidefooted just wide by Sissoko.

Arbeloa and Pennant then combined to produce space for Gerrard to fire in a 20-yard effort just wide of Mark Schwarzer’s right-hand post.

Liverpool were having the bulk of possession but their pressure was not quick enough to unsettle Boro’s rearguard.

Boro barely ventured out of their own half for long spells, but they were almost presented with a gift in the 40th minute when Jamie Carragher advanced but slipped over in the act of passing. The blunder allowed Fabio Rochemback to surge free into the Liverpool half — only to fire wide from the edge of the box.

Sissoko then burst into Boro’s half and played the ball to Pennant — but hopelessly mis-hit the return ball wide. It summed up the first period.

Things looked brighter for Liverpool five minutes into the second half when Javier Mascherano headed against the bar following Zenden’s corner.

Then Sissoko, who had struggled during the first half was replaced by Kuyt in the 51st minute.

The Reds made the breakthrough in the 58th minute when Zenden’s neat pass dropped into Gerrard’s path 25 yards out — and the captain crashed the ball low past Mark Schwarzer.

Davies, booked for diving a minute after Liverpool’s goal, then conceded a penalty in the 64th minute when he pushed Crouch as the big striker was preparing to head a Pennant cross. Gerrard crashed home the spot-kick and the points were safe.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Mascherano, Sissoko (Kuyt 51), Zenden, Gerrard (Gonzalez 87), Crouch.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Davies, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Boateng, Morrison (Viduka 66), Cattermole (Johnson 81), Rochemback, Downing, Yakubu.

Ref: G Poll