Defending Gerrard

For a team with a "19 point lead over its bitter rivals", to lose the championship two things have to happen: either the team has extraordinary bad luck, getting star players injured, or these days tested Covid positive, or massive complacency sets in (Left Field, 15th January). With no control over the former, the manager`s job is to prevent the latter, and that is exactly what Steven Gerrard is doing when "grumbling at the conclusion of the Old Firm derby", which Rangers won. Jonathan Liew`s argument that the Rangers boss is "driven as much by his past as his future", and consequently cannot "bring himself to glimpse victory" is seriously flawed, too selective with relevant evidence, and lacks completeness. How any article on Gerrard`s motivation can omit mentioning the fact that, as captain, he was able to inspire his team to come from a 3-0 deficit at half-time, to win the European Champions League final in 2005 beggars belief. Then there`s the 2006 FA Cup final, when 3-2 down, stricken by cramp, and yet he manages to score in the 90th minute from 30 yards. Or the 86th minute goal against Olympiacos, leading 2-1 when needing a two goal advantage to go through? There are many, many more. To suggest that Gerrard "never had a happy ending" at Liverpool verges on the ridiculous!