“Hey! This shouldn’t be slipping!”
– Steven Gerrard
Soccer is a enjoyable sport. Some days it is simply a gaggle of individuals hitting a ball round for 90 minutes. Different days it is a good story, full of poetic twists.
Liverpool’s assembly with Chelsea on April 27, 2014 fell into the second class, however just about each twist went towards them.
Liverpool vs. Chelsea | Tom Jenkins / Getty Photos
To completely respect what went down that day, we should journey a number of weeks again to the date of the introductory Steven Gerrard quote, April thirteenth. Liverpool welcomed Manchester Metropolis to Anfield, in what was seen as a must-win for each side. Metropolis had a number of video games over Liverpool and defeat would have taken destiny out of the purple arms.
Philippe Coutinho’s 78-minute strike gave Brendan Rodgers a 3-2 victory, after which captain Gerrard gathered his facet and advised them to preserve their heads within the sport. They’d management over their future.
A tough-fought 3-2 victory towards Norwich Metropolis adopted, and now the one impediment left was to go to Chelsea who, because of their deep run within the Champions League, had been able to put a weakened facet.
Mark Schwarzer began in objective, Tomáš Kalas made a debut within the protection, a unhealthy garbage Mohamed Salah began broad and Demba Ba bought the nod within the assault. This was Liverpool’s match to lose.
Who remembers Tomas Kalas holding quiet about this man for 90 minutes the yr Liverpool would win the league?
Stevie G made headlines that day … pic.twitter.com/lPmbELXaB6
– Billy Coe (@ billycoe1) March 22, 2019
The sport began as you anticipate. José Mourinho’s Blues had been glad to defend deeply and annoyed Liverpool, and with seconds left in the primary half, the rating was nonetheless 0-0.
Then it occurred.
Gerrard went to manage the ball simply inside his personal half, and the bottom gave method beneath him. His ft had been completely different from his entire physique. He slipped.
Sadly for the Liverpool captain, Ba was there to make the most. Like a cheetah that found their prey, he threw the free ball and carried it right down to the objective. Solely Simon Mignolet stood in his method.
#OnThisDay 2014 …
Steven Gerrard’s notorious slip towards Chelsea led to Jose Mourinho’s facet taking a win at Anfield … ⚠? pic.twitter.com/Yv0kbA4MiH
– Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 27, 2020
The Senegal worldwide’s dash to the end line looked as if it would take each an eternity and simply a number of seconds. All eyes on this planet had been on Ba, and he responded by knocking dwelling Mignolet to offer Chelsea a implausible lead.
Gerrard grabbed the ball from the web and competed again to the middle circle and regarded as if he wished the world to open up and swallow him entire, but it surely was not potential to get away from what had simply occurred. The person who warned his teammates to not let issues slip had actually let issues slip.
After the break, Liverpool threw every little thing they’d towards Chelsea, which made Mourinho overwhelmingly happy with his good parking by the bus, however there was no method by means of. It was nearly as if one other world drive had determined that they’d not win (in any other case generally known as the FIFA 20 particular).
When Willian added a second deep into the stoppage time, the sport was over. Liverpool had achieved all of the exhausting work, solely to fall on the final hurdle.
Willian vs Liverpool
Premier League. Sunday 27 April 2014. Anfield, Liverpool. @ Chelseafc #CFC #KTBFFH #Chelsea pic.twitter.com/p8CxmCjHQl
Late Targets (@InjuryTimeGoals) March 30, 2015
Issues went from unhealthy to worse for Liverpool in the subsequent match. The Reds regarded to have bounced again and stored their title jumps alive as they sat 3-0 towards Crystal Palace with 11 minutes left, however they may not run away from the curse eternally.
When the full-time whistle blew, Palace had netted 3 times and brought a 3-3 draw, something however that Liverpool wouldn’t win the title.
Metropolis took the remaining prize and Liverpool needed to go by means of years and years of memes, embarrassment and humiliation. Principally, anybody who was not a Liverpool fan gained.
