Steven Gerrard’s Long Goodbye started in style and all at Liverpool will hope that it climaxes back in London with an emotional farewell on his 35th birthday – the day of the FA Cup final.
In his first game since announcing that he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, Gerrard completed a familiar rescue act, scoring twice to steer his side into the fourth round of the FA Cup where they play Emile Heskey and Bolton Wanderers. Liverpool’s defence was again occasionally frail, and Gerrard himself had to clear off the line.
Liverpool needed their captain and talisman to stand tall. AFC Wimbledon were vibrant at times, well organised by Neal Ardley, making light of their League Two status as they attacked and attacked, exposing the flaws in Brendan Rodgers’s defence.
Gerrard opened the scoring with a diving header but the hosts responded well, and the excellence of their football was rewarded when Adebayo Akinfenwa pounced at a corner and equalised. How fitting. Akinfenwa, a passionate Liverpool fan, was looking forward to meeting Gerrard, to thank him for everything he had done for the club, to get his shirt, which he duly did (signed on the No 8).
But Gerrard rescued his team once again with a second-half free-kick, intensifying the debate over whether he is leaving too soon. Assuming that Gerrard is California dreamin’, LA Galaxy’s gain is Liverpool’s loss.
Gerrard’s reverie also takes in Wembley. “It’s going to be my last time [in the FA Cup], so I want to make the most of it and go all the way,’’ Gerrard told BT Sport. “That’s what dreams are made of and hopefully that will be the case. Bolton at home in the next round will be another difficult test, I know Neil Lennon and I know he’ll set up his team so they are difficult to beat.
“I always enjoy the FA Cup, I grew up loving the competition. If I wasn’t here playing for this team I’d probably be in the stands watching. I know what it means to every single supporter, that’s why I always try and give it my best. Whether I’m playing AC Milan in the Champions League or Wimbledon I’m always going to give it my best.”
It had to be Gerrard seizing the headlines, following the huge debate over whether he still had a significant role to play in Liverpool’s future. Having started on the bench at Real Madrid, Gerrard clearly knew that he was not a central part of Rodgers’s plans, leading to his announcement that he was leaving for MLS.
Yet Liverpool’s manager built a platform for Gerrard at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, aka Kingsmeadow. Again Rodgers preferred a
3-4-3 system, but this time with Gerrard further advanced, liberated by Lucas and Jordan Henderson, who did the defensive duties in central midfield. Javier Manquillo was the right wing-back with Lazar Markovic on the left, both looking to pick out Gerrard’s runs. Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho had free roles off Rickie Lambert and the captain soon made his mark, scoring after 12 minutes.
Gerrard accelerated the move, playing the ball right to Manquillo before racing into the box to meet the return, beating Jake Goodman to the ball and sending a stooping header past James Shea. As Gerrard celebrated his 181st goal in 696 appearances for Liverpool, the home fans and players plotted their response.
“You’re only here for the Wombles” chanted the AFC Wimbledon fans, particularly enjoying the programme’s picture of Lawrie Sanchez’s headed goal in the 1988 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool. Sanchez was present, as was Dave Beasant, who saved John Aldridge’s penalty when the Crazy Gang beat the Culture Club.
Behind Shea’s goal, AFC Wimbledon fans had their banner of “We are the resurrection and we are the light”, celebrating their club’s revival. Their mascot, Haydon The Womble, who had done some crowd-surfing earlier, was stirring up the fans further, banging the lid of a wheelie-bin that he dragged around behind him.
Their team responded, playing good football, getting in behind Rodgers’s wing-backs, looking to exploit the known flaws in the Liverpool defence. Ardley instructed his players to press higher up, trying to dislodge the ball, hounding Liverpool.
The pressure built. Martin Skrtel made a sliding interception, Simon Mignolet responded to Sean Rigg’s volley with a fine tip-over save. Matt Tubbs sent a hooked volley just wide after Akinfenwa had caused chaos in Liverpool’s defence.
And then, after 36 minutes, came that moment that Akinfenwa had dreamed of. Ardley had been doing plenty of work on the training ground on exploiting Liverpool’s frailties at defending set pieces. George Francomb curled in the corner, looking to trouble Mignolet. With the Belgian flapping, Mamadou Sakho and Barry Fuller went for the ball, which bounced back off the bar. Mignolet failed to take responsibility.
Akinfenwa was quickest, pouncing, scoring from close range, embarrassing Mignolet and Liverpool. “Unleash the Beast” beseeched the banner behind the goal.
Nicknamed the Beast, Akinfenwa delivered. The home fans went wild. Haydon The Womble punched the air. Madame Cholet was probably doing an ‘Olé’ somewhere. This was the stuff of dreams. Here were AFC Wimbledon of League Two holding representatives of a club who have won the European Cup five times.
As so often, Gerrard intervened. He first had to clear an Adam Barrett header off the line before deciding the tie. Fuller caught Coutinho from behind, getting a yellow card and gifting Gerrard a free-kick in a position he relishes, left of centre, perfect for a right-footed player. Shea had studied Gerrard’s free-kicks, but had no chance. Gerrard’s finish was too quick, too accurate.
Liverpool remained unconvincing. Lambert was struggling, shot straight at Shea and was replaced by Mario Balotelli. Shea then denied Coutinho and Markovic. Yet Liverpool had to survive some scares, particularly from the lively substitute Adebayo Azeez.
Liverpool’s keeper then launched a counter-attack, culminating in Gerrard being presented with the chance for his hat-trick but Callum Kennedy cleared off the line. No matter. The headlines already belonged to Gerrard. The long goodbye has started well.
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