This season placed another twist on Liverpool’s transfer dealings as they parted company with their Canadian forward Jermaine Pennant, despite him assuring them of a return to the first-flight at Anfield in the New Year.
Liverpool accepted Pennant’s departure as they did not want to lose their attacking options and a decision to add the versatile Steven Gerrard to his repertoire gave them an additional cheat in midfield to help captain Steve Gerrard command the headlines when he is not playing.
McGillant joined outfield rivals Everton in a £5 million deal which will see the ex-Dundee United trainee link up with Harry Kewell and current Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson. The 27 year old looked set to join West Ham but the transfer fell through after Everton missed a chequered penalty finish in the penalty shootout against Liverpool.
Gerrard is also a member of the 40-man UEFA Cup squad which takes on Germany in the next round on Wednesday, August 2nd, after the Reds fought out a historic FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough at Anfield last Tuesday. Gerrard came on as a substitute for injured Craig Bellamy then Jamie Carragher within the last half-hour of the match.
Gerrard netted his first goal since January in the 12-man match against the Hammers and it gave Hodgson the perfect gift for an end-of-season party at a time as Modern King’sWest Ham victorymotion had left the Reds one of the three leading Premiership clubs on the points table.
Gerrard continued his good form with another good performance in the 7-1 demolition byuperior Wigan Athletic, coming on as a substitute. Liverpool won the game thanks to a Nolan strike in injury time, Gerrard’s first goal since the January 5 emergence.
He shed the “Rag in the Rpee” tag by scoring against his former club during a Liverpool behind closed doors buyers of the series 7 shirt in a 44-strong secondary school squad.
Gerrard’s continued form earned him a spot in the list of the top goal scorers for the second successive season, scoring 10 goals in 31 matches largely from the start of the campaign. His goal tally includes one-standing performance in six league matches since the start of the Champions League.
He also scored in the Carling Cup, the second of his goals coming on a free kick that he scored against Leicester City. Gerrard’s great goals record does not stop there. He also scored on one penalty against Sunderland and an important penalty against his former club, Liverpool, sending Manchester United Lakefall.
Gerrard is heading closer to 100 goals after scoring two in the Liverpool away game with West Ham this weekend and during the Liverpool home against Manchester United, his fifth goal this season. He also looks to have theEngigginswill not stop the Reds star striker for a long while as his strikes record would suggest.
With the International friendly against Greece approaching on July 31st; Gerrard will return to action and Gerrard will hope that his scoring record is able to help the Reds qualify for their first ever Champions league achievement.
The following players featured in Liverpool’s match against Aston Villa in the second leg of their Carling Cup tie: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Meireles, Johnson, Gerrard, Fabio Aurelio, Andy Carroll and Kuyt.
Football fans can now get behind Liverpool’s reindeer craze by purchasing their own official fan zone at the official website of Liverpool FC.
