Win comes at a price for Pool

Liverpool 2 PSV Eindhoven 0

Steven Gerrard led the way as Liverpool clinched top spot in Champions League group C tonight.

The England midfielder, restored to his preferred central midfield role with Mohamed Sissoko sidelined, produced a goal and leadership which means the match in Istanbul against Galatasaray will not affect their current standing at the head of the group.

The win came at a cost however, with three Liverpool midfielders limping off.

Liverpool's European campaign has been in sharp contrast to their domestic league combat, unbeaten after five matches and heading into the last 16 hoping for decent draw which will have them dreaming of the quarter-finals.

Gerrard broke the deadlock when he swept onto a Dirk Kuyt pass, and it was Kuyt who produced the header for Peter Crouch to nod home the second goal in the dying minutes.

PSV saw a 15-match unbeaten run come to an end, and will now have to wait to see which of the group winners they will be paired with in the next stage.

Liverpool's first half was one of frustration and injuries. They ended that period having seen plenty of possession and chances but without the cutting edge to go with it.

Worst, though, were the losses of Xabi Alonso and Mark Gonzalez.

Alonso was the victim of a fierce tackle from Csaba Feher on 14 minutes, caused really by Gonzalez's loss of the ball and a frantic lunge by both players for the loose ball.

The former Real Sociedad midfielder limped on for a few minutes with an obvious ankle problem before making way for Bolo Zenden.

Soon after, Gonzalez was carried off on a stretcher after a high speed run on the left and cross at full stretch.

That exertion from the Chile winger left him in agony in front of the Kop, with what was later revealed as a torn hamstring. Luis Garcia took over.

PSV employed captain Timmy Simons ahead of his back line, with Edison Mendez and Ibrahim Afellay just ahead of him in a tight midfield trio.

It left Steven Gerrard, initially Alonso and then Zenden outnumbered at times - but did not stop the England midfielder imposing himself on the game.

Gerrard's driving runs and hunting down of opponents - such a feature of his game - returned as he returned to centre stage.

Early on Kuyt created a chance with a clever touch, before flicking wide, then Gonzalez headed off target from Jermaine Pennant's cross.

Zenden saw a 20-yard effort pulled down by Heurelho Gomes before Steve Finnan crossed for Crouch to head wide.

The hosts were still on top when they took the lead in the 65th minutes.

Jose Reina's ball out to Steve Finnan saw an instant pass forward from the Irish defender into Kuyt's feet.

The Dutchman managed to wriggle into a yard of space before slipping the ball to Gerrard, who took a couple of strides before netting his second goal of the season - both have come in the Champions League.

This should have been the signal for Liverpool to impose themselves on the game, but PSV fought back, getting more men forward than at any time in the match.

And it was the defiance of Jamie Carragher and growing maturity of Daniel Agger which were the key elements now for Liverpool.

Kuyt and Crouch were working hard up front but Pennant's touch did not improve as the game wore on and his involvement became almost non-existent.

One run on the right left him down and clutching his face, before another challenge seconds later saw him carried off on what was by now an overused stretcher.

Craig Bellamy came on to play on the right, his scampering pace a welcome addition for the hosts as the clock ticked down.

Reina needed all his sharp instincts to pull down a fierce, deflected drive from Arouna Kone, as PSV sought an equalising goal.

But their hopes ended in the 89th minute when Crouch headed home easily from close range, after Luis Garcia's cross from the left had been headed back across goal by Kuyt.