Steven Gerrard Apologises for Red Card During Liverpool vs. Manchester United

Steven Gerrard has apologised following his red card in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday. 

The Liverpool skipper was brought on at half-time by manager Brendan Rodgers—replacing Adam Lallana—with the Reds trailing 1-0.

Gerrard was duly issued a straight red card by referee Martin Atkinson after just 38 seconds for a stamp on United's Ander Herrera, and the former England captain admitted after the game that he was correctly dismissed, per Sky Sports 1 (h/t FIFA):

"

I need to accept it, the decision was right, I have let my team-mates and manager down today, even more importantly I let all the supporters down and I take full responsibility for my action. I tried to jump his tackle, I saw his studs and I reacted wrong. I've been in the game long enough to know when you do something like that, especially at the timing of the game, at half-time with 45 to play, a great opportunity to get back in the game, I take full responsibility for it.

"

Liverpool had been out-played by the Red Devils in the first half, and Rodgers was clearly hoping that Gerrard's experience could be a positive influence for his side.

However, the 34-year-old instead made the job all the more difficult for his side, picking up his second career red card against Liverpool's fiercest rivals, per WhoScored.com:

Juan Mata made it 2-0 to the visitors just before the hour—adding to his first-half strike with a spectacular scissor-kick—but despite being a man down, Liverpool fought their way back into the game, Daniel Sturridge scoring in the 69th minute.

But United saw out the victory, Gerrard making a negative impact on his last-ever match for Liverpool against United as he heads to MLS in the summer.

The result sees fifth-placed Liverpool slip five points behind United in the Premier League as the race for the Champions League continues, with Gerrard set to miss some key clashes, per football writer Jim Boardman:

He has only just returned from a long-term absence through injury and Liverpool will likely miss his influence, especially in the key Arsenal encounter on April 4. 

But Liverpool cannot afford many more dropped points in the run-in if they want to make it into the Champions League for a second successive season.