The Reds captain, in his final season is available against Aston Villa in an FA Cup semifinal
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is available for Sunday's semifinal against Aston Villa after missing the team's last three matches through suspension (Photo: AP)
London: Steven Gerrard is gunning to lead Liverpool against fellow Premier League side Aston Villa in an FA Cup semifinal at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday.The Reds captain, in his final season, with the Anfield club, is available after missing Liverpool’s last three matches through suspension, having been sent off for stamping on Ander Herrera during a 2-1 league defeat at home to bitter rivals Manchester United on March 22.
But now the question is how Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will deploy veteran midfielder Gerrard. Liverpool native Gerrard has been a one-club man in his 17-year professional career so far, but he is set to bring down the curtain on his time at Anfield come the end of the season when he joins Major League Soccer giants Los Angeles Galaxy.
For Liverpool fans, the fairytale finish would see former England captain Gerrard lifting the FA Cup in a Wembley final on May 30 — his 35th birthday. Reds’ staff organised a behind-closed-doors friendly on Monday to help assess Gerrard’s fitness but Rodgers was in no doubt he could feature against Villa. “Steven is definitely ready. We had a game here on Monday that he played in,” said Rodgers.
“He’s a special footballer. He has always produced big goals and big moments. The most important thing is having him back for Sunday,” the Northern Irishman added.
“He knows Wembley well. He’s got special quality.” Liverpool also have a chance of finishing in the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League but goalkeeper Simon Mignolet said they shouldn’t have to decide between dreams of Europe or FA Cup success.
“The next game is the FA Cup semifinal so the focus is on that but you don’t really choose between your mum and dad so we still have two things to play for and we will try to do that from now until the end of the season,” Mignolet said. “We want to do both — let’s hope we can do both. We have the FA Cup and league still to play for and we want to do well in every single game.”
Both Liverpool and Villa have won the FA Cup seven times, but whereas the Reds most recent success was in 2006, you have to go back to 1957 for the last of the Birmingham club’s Cup triumphs.
( Source : AFP )
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