[lfc-news] What a night - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 9 Dec 2004
What a night
Exclusive by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

STEVEN GERRARD today urged Liverpool not to waste the opportunity to build
on their heroic Champions League victory over Olympiakos.

The Reds looked buried when they trailed 1-0 at half-time.

But Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Neil Mellor and the skipper secured a £5m
windfall for the club with a stirring second half comeback.

Gerrard wants his 86th minute winner to prove one of the most significant
in the recent history of the club, but doesn't want the celebrations to
gloss over the work which still needs to be done.

"It's one of the most important goals I've ever scored, and I hope it turns
out to be one of the most important for the club for a long time,
especially in terms of what it means financially," said Gerrard.

"I said before the game, the team and the club is what's important. We have
to build on wins like this, not just settle for a great win and then not
progress any further.

"We've made the last 16 and we're all thrilled, but we've got to put that
behind us now. We've got the derby to come which is another masssive game
and we want to go even further in this competition.

"I think a special mention should go to the young lads who came off the
bench, who I thought were tremendous.

"Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor made a hell of a difference
because it was looking a bit difficult before they came on."

Gerrard's future dominated the pre-match coverage, and the skipper hopes
his openness is respected by the supporters.

He said: "I know I put a lot of pressure on myself because of what I said.
I felt I needed a big performance last night, but I was asked the questions
and I wanted to be honest. I always will be.

"If I'm asked a question, I'll give a straight answer. I'm not going to go
around the world telling lies about how I feel.

"I'm a fan as well, and I think what I've said the supporters will agree
with. The main point I've made is I want to be in a Liverpool side which is
challenging for the title and Champions League all the time.

"That's where the club needs to be. I want to be winning things with
Liverpool, not somewhere else. That's the most important thing.

"But last night wasn't about me. I scored a vital goal for the team and for
the club, not myself."



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