Gaining possession in midfield, he shifted the ball on to his right foot before unleashing a swerving screamer that, for added effect, crashed into the goal off the underside of the crossbar.

Marseille v Liverpool, Champions League group game, September 2008: You know a goal is good when ex-professionals are left wondering just how it was scored. An astonished Marseille coach Erik Gerets posed the question after Gerrard swept home an equaliser from 25 yards without breaking stride or indeed facing the net.

Opposing goalkeeper Steve Mandanda could only watch as the ball sailed into the top corner.

Phil Thompson

MY FAVOURITE Gerrard goal came against Manchester United in a 2-0 win in 2001.

I had to choose a goal from when I was involved with the team because back then Stevie was still very young. But this goal proved what potential he had and was an early glimpse of how great he would become – it was an unbelievable and unstoppable strike.

The fact that it came against United showed he could do it in the big games. You could say it was an early indication of all that’s great about Steven Gerrard.

The way he has come on since those early days shows what a fantastic lad he is, how mature and professional he has been throughout his career. When he was very young you could see he had it all, but then you think lots of youngsters have that.

But Stevie still has it all and that says everything about what a great player he is.

Andy Proudfoot

I’VE ALWAYS found it difficult to compare great goals. How do you judge a 30-yard screamer against a 12-man move that slices a side open and ends with a two-yard tap in?

Or a brave diving header against a spectacular overhead kick?

Not such a problem when you think of Stevie’s goals – about 95 out of the 100 have been from thunderous strikes which left the keeper grasping at air like Wile E. Coyote at a cliff face.

Curiously, of the other five one is a serious candidate for the best – the very first as Gerrard weaved his way through the Sheffield Wednesday defence in December 1999, dummying left and right before slamming it past Kevin Pressman from close range.

Yet for me the mark of a truly great goal is the circumstances in which it was scored, and putting Liverpool 3-1 up against a side that would ultimately be relegated doesn’t quite cut the mustard in this respect.

So that really narrows it down to three: Milan in the 2005 Champions’ League Final; Olympiakos in the Champions’ League on the way to that final; and the strike against West Ham in the FA Cup Final 2006.

It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of the first of those three, triggering as it did one of the greatest nights in the club’s history.

But it was the first of the three, and therefore greeted with something more like resigned stoicism than outright hysteria. Speaking of which leads us to the other two.

Both were crucial strikes; both sped into the net with incredible velocity from distance; and both sent me dancing deliriously in the stands, hugging friends and strangers alike and feeling like my head was going to burst.

Forced to choose between the two, I’ll go for the West Ham strike.

There’s something about the relief in a last-gasp equalising goal that makes it transcend even winners; explain that if you can.

But this goal both equalised, and eventually won us, the game – I can’t see how you can beat that.

Larry Moran

PICKING one favourite goal from Gerrard’s 100 is quite difficult. The guy does not score tap-ins.

It seems most of his goals are spectacular and important, everyone remembers the rocket he scored against Olympiakos to keep us in the Champions League on the way to Istanbul.

Then, Istanbul itself, the header to get us back to 3-1 and suddenly from being down and out there was hope again.

Recently there was the goal against Marseille. As soon as the ball left his foot it was in. He knew exactly what he was doing and where the ball was going, the keeper had no chance.

My favourite though is in the FA Cup Final in 2006. Cardiff. The West Ham fans are singing their tunes of glory. We are 3-2 down and in the 90th minute. Gerrard has already made our first goal and then scored our second. A goal that meant he had now scored in four major finals. The Champions League, UEFA Cup, League Cup and now the FA Cup.

Still, we are losing with only seconds to go. We are finished. The stadium announcer tells us there are four minutes of added time, then the ball comes to Gerrard from a headed West Ham clearance and …. bang … back of the net from 35 yards. 3-3. Extra time. The roar from our end is massive; it’s a mix of relief, delight and victory. Whatever happened we knew Gerrard could win a game on his own. That shot kept us in it.

Reina may have ultimately made great saves in the penalty shoot-out to gain us the trophy but it was Gerrard that won that trophy. He above all of the others would not be beaten. He even scored again in the shoot-out itself. Here’s to the next hundred goals Steven! Keep making us dream.