40: 51st minute v Arsenal 1-3 (Away, Premier League, May 8 2005): THE one bright spot was Gerrard’s deflected free-kick at the start of the second half.

41: 54th minute v AC Milan 3-3 (Istanbul, Champions League Final, May 25 2005): LIVERPOOL’S dream of a fifth European Cup lay in tatters after they slumped to a crushing 3-0 half-time deficit against a rampant AC Milan. The needed some hope and when Gerrard rose to put a looping header beyond Brazilian keeper Dida from John Arne’s Riise’s cross they had it.

42: Eighth minute v TNS 3-0 (Home, Champions League, July 13 2005): FROM Istanbul to North Wales. Having been made to start their defence of the European in the first qualifying round, Gerrard took it on himself to get his side past the Welsh part-timers. From John Arne Riise’s low left-wing, Fernando Morientes and Anthony Le Tallec worked the ball into the path of Gerrard, who side-footed neatly past TNS keeper Gerard Doherty to open the scoring.

43: 21st minute v TNS 3-0 (Home, Champions League, July 13 2005): A MISTAKE from TNS defender Steve Evans, as he misjudged a long pass, saw the ball bounce over his head for Gerrard to seize upon it and loft a deft finish over the advancing Doherty.

44: 90th minute v TNS 3-0 (Home, Champions League, July 13 2005): GERRARD completed his first competitive hat-trick in the final minute with a low 20-yard drive to banish the memories of his proposed on-off £40million move to Chelsea.

45: 85th minute v TNS 3-0 (Away, Champions League, July 19 2005): AS THE clock ticked down substitute Gerrard fired a low drive past TNS keeper Doherty.

46: 86th minute v TNS 3-0 (Away, Champions League, July 19 2005): WITHIN a minute of his first strike, Gerrard fired an almost identical low effort past Doherty to complete a 6-0 aggregate lead – scoring five of the goals himself.

47: 54th minute (pen) v FBK Kaunas 3-1 (Away, Champions League, July 26 2005): AFTER a typical slaloming run into the area Gerrard was brought down by Mindaugas Baguzis. Despite the skipper stating after his spot-kick miss against Tottenham the previous season that he wouldn’t be taking penalties anymore he stepped up to place the ball just past the outstretched hand of Eduardas Kurskis.

48: 77th minute v FBK Kaunas 2-0 (Home, Champions League, August 2 2005): GERRARD came off the bench to open the scoring. A low curled cross was meant for Luis Garcia, but Sarunas Kaunas keeper Kilijonas didn’t deal with it and only succeeded in helping the ball into the net off his leg.

49: 36th minute v Chelsea 1-4 (Home, Premier League, October 2 2005): A JOHN Arne Riise corner from the left was flicked on by Jamie Carragher and after it eluding everyone, Gerrard was at the far post to unleashed a driven right-foot shot from a tight angle, which Petr Cech got a touch on but could not stop going in.