Gerrard eyes Champions League solace

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard hopes the Reds have the firepower to claim some “consolation” for Barclays Premiership failure this season by winning a sixth European Cup for the club.

Gerrard, rested along with three other Liverpool heavyweights with a busy Christmas schedule in mind, will be watching from afar tonight when Liverpool return to the scene of their geatest triumph of the last two decades.

With his team preparing to take on Galatasaray in Istanbul’s Ataturk Stadium, where he famously helped to inspire their second-half fightback to claim the Champions League title at the expense of AC Milan 18 months ago, Gerrard believes the 2006/2007 team are capable of similar heroics.

He said: “Because of the disappointing start we have had in the Premiership, if we’re realistic we have got to try even harder in the cups now.

“The Champions League would be a big consolation.”