Everton vs. Liverpool: Captain Steven Gerrard's Mixed Merseyside Derby History

Steven Gerrard stepped up his rehabilitation from injury last weekend against Wolves at Anfield, with his first Premier League appearance since March, in Liverpool's 2-1 victory.

It was a timely return to league action for the Reds' captain, with two huge matches coming up next—a visit to local rivals Everton on Saturday, followed by a home clash against Manchester United the following game week.

Locally-born and raised a Red, the Merseyside derby will always hold a special place of importance for players like Steven Gerrard, and next weekend's fixture will be no exception.

This will be the 25th fixture between Liverpool and Everton that Gerrard has played in, since making his debut for the first team, and it promises to be another spectacular match with the two sides so close together in the league.

A home win will leave the Blues above the Reds on goal difference, while an away three points will propel Liverpool closer to, or even into, the top four spots.

Karl Matchett will be offering articles all week long for the build-up to the Merseyside derby on Saturday, October 1st. Look out for them all here on Bleacher Report.

Match-Winning Input on His Derby Debut

After making his Liverpool debut in November 1998, Gerrard appeared as a second-half substitute for Vegard Heggem, for his first-ever Merseyside derby in April of the same season.

With Gerrard playing the last 20 minutes at Anfield, and with Liverpool leading 2-1 after a Robbie Fowler brace, Patrik Berger opened up a seemingly unassailable lead, with less than 10 minutes to go.

However, Everton fought back and scored their second with five minutes remaining, and the onslaught continued as the Blues searched for a late equaliser, needing Gerrard to intervene and produce something special in defence, to keep the three points with his team.

The Sunday Telegraph match report takes up the story, saying "Danny Cadamarteri would have snatched an improbable equaliser had Steven Gerrard not swept his shot off the line with David James stranded.

"Gerrard, a second-half substitute, made another goal-line clearance in the pandemonium of that closing act."

Those goal-saving actions saw Gerrard celebrate almost as if he'd scored Liverpool's fourth goal himself at the opposite end, immediately endearing him further to the Reds fans who craved a derby victory.

First Red Card and First Derby Start

The following season, 1999-2000, saw Gerrard take giant steps to becoming a first team regular for Liverpool, though groin and back injuries stopped him from making as many appearances as he would have liked.

The first derby of the season came in September at Anfield, where Gerrard again made an appearance off the bench in the second half. This time, he was replacing Robbie Fowler and Didi Hamann, as part of a double substitution with Erik Meijer.

It was not a day to remember, however, as Gerrard saw his team lose 1-0, and he also received a late straight red card for a high and dangerous challenge on goalscorer Kevin Campbell.

Three red cards were shown in the game, including to Reds' keeper Sander Westerveld, which saw defender Steve Staunton play in goal for the last quarter of an hour.

Close to the end of the season, the return match at Goodison Park took place, and Gerrard made his first start in a derby, playing the full 90 minutes in midfield as the two sides drew, 0-0.

Being a derby, the match was of course not without controversy, as Everton thought they had scored a late, late winner—but the referee had already blown for full time as Westerveld took a free kick, which hit an Everton player in the back and bounced back into the net.

Man of the Match Performance at Right-Back

In 2000-'01, Liverpool's treble-winning season, the first derby of the season saw Liverpool triumph confidently, 3-1, over Everton.

Steven Gerrard continued at right-back, as he had been playing the previous few matches, and put in a Man of the Match performance to nullify the threat of Everton's creative Israeli, Idan Tal.

Nick Barmby, Emile Heskey and Patrik Berger grabbed the goals for the Reds, but the spotlight was on an emerging Gerrard, already a full England international by this time, for his growing maturity and excellent performances. Particularly, as it was this fixture the previous season which saw him get sent off.

An interview afterwards with the Liverpool Daily Post showed how much the derby victory meant to Gerrard and all the players.

"I have played there [right-back] for the last few games and have enjoyed it," Gerrard said. "I've done quite well, and hopefully I can remain in the starting XI. I prefer to play in central midfield, but if I keep playing like I have today at right-back and keep my place in the team, then I will be happy.

"We were buzzing after the game," he said. "Everyone was delighted, particularly as we'd beaten our local rivals. The players were up for this one. I enjoyed myself, but I wouldn't be saying I had enjoyed myself if we had been beaten, no matter how well I would have played."

In the later game that season, Liverpool ran out 3-2 winners at Goodison Park, as they chased a Champions League spot, with Gary McAllister scoring a late 44-yard winner from a free kick. But, Gerrard was absent for that particular victory.

Gerrard's First Merseyside Derby Goal

In mid-September of 2001, Steven Gerrard got to experience the fantastic feeling of scoring in a Merseyside derby, getting Liverpool's first goal in a 3-1 victory at Goodison Park.

Another fantastic performance, this time in a more-preferred midfield position which he alternated between the right and centre with Danny Murphy, brought about another Man of the Match award and provided the catalyst for a good Reds victory, after they had fallen behind early on.

Gerrard scored the equaliser with a display of his poise, athleticism and power, and was the driving force behind Liverpool's dominant display.

Michael Owen and John Arne Riise were the Reds' other goalscorers.

The latter derby fixture, played at Anfield, finished 1-1—but Gerrard was kept out of the tie by another groin injury.

Bad Tackles and Captain for the Day

2002-'03 saw Gerrard start—and finish—both derby matches for the first time, but it could have been very different had the referee spotted the two-footed lunge by Gerrard on Gary Naysmith (pictured).

The studs-up challenge should certainly have seen Gerrard collect his second derby red card; as it was, it went unchallenged and Gerrard was instead punished retrospectively by the FA, despite apologising to the Everton defender.

That match ended up 0-0, while Liverpool triumphed 2-1 at Goodison Park, where Gerrard wore the captain's armband in a derby game for the first time due to the absence of Sami Hyypia through suspension.

Gerrard was booked during the game and also ended up getting David Weir sent off, after the veteran defender tripped the Liverpool captain, receiving his second yellow card in the process—the first of two Everton players to be dismissed during that match.

Defensive Midfield Role Leads to Plaudits

Liverpool turned over Everton by 3-0 in 2003, and Steven Gerrard gained plaudits for a mature display in a holding midfield position, thwarting the likes of Tomasz Radzinski and Wayne Rooney in the process.

An Owen brace and Harry Kewell wonder-goal did the damage, but with a watching England manager in the stands, it was again Gerrard who caught the eye.

Afterwards, the Telegraph said, "Another of Houllier's big players, Steven Gerrard, stood his full height. Twice suspended after defacing derbies with ugly challenges, the England midfielder gave an outstanding display in front of the back four, acting as a platform from which El Hadji Diouf, Vladimir Smicer and Kewell could spring attacks.

"In a derby," Houllier told the Telegraph, "you need emotional maturity, which I think the team are getting, probably through European experience."

The Telegraph went on to say, "There was no better example than Gerrard, and none more pleasantly surprising; Sven-Goran Eriksson would have been almost as heartened as Houllier."

Gerrard was again a 90-minute performer in the second derby of the season. It ended 0-0, but it was as ferocious and as action-packed as any of the higher-scoring matches which had come before it.

First Taste of Defeat After Starting, and Another Derby Goal

2004-'05 brought about a new experience for Steven Gerrard; Liverpool swapped bosses for the first time while Gerrard had been a first team player. The club captain had a new manager to come to grips with, Rafael Benitez.

The first derby under Rafa's leadership hardly came in the best of circumstances, as Liverpool were missing many players through injury, resulting in Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor leading the Reds attack.

Gerrard played just behind Mellor, with F S-P playing from a right wing position, and got his first taste of derby defeat after starting a game. The Reds crashed to a 1-0 defeat, despite coming close with a fierce drive.

Later on that season, Gerrard was back to scoring and winning in the derby, as he netted from a free kick, placed with power into the back of the net from just outside the penalty box.

The Reds went on to win, 2-1, with Luis Garcia scoring what turned out to be the winner.

18 Minutes the Key: One Goal and One Red Card for the Champion of Europe

Liverpool went into the two derby games of the 2005-'06 season as Champions of Europe, after their penalty shoot-out win over AC Milan at the end of the previous season.

The Reds ran out 3-1 winners in both games, and Steven Gerrard was very much central to everything in both fixtures.

First up, came the Goodison Park game, where Gerrard set up the opening goal with a great header into the path of Peter Crouch, who netted on his derby debut.

Gerrard himself doubled the lead on 18 minutes, with a long-range shot that deflected into the net on its way.

Djibril Cisse added a third, but it was again Gerrard who took the Man of the Match award for his consistent performance.

Back at Anfield, Gerrard was less the derby hero, as he got himself booked twice, and therefore sent off, in the space of two minutes. Firstly, for kicking the ball away after Everton were awarded a free kick, and then, just moments later, for a late tackle.

Gerrard left the pitch after just 18 minutes, leaving his team to play most of the game with 10 men.

Liverpool rallied and won the game convincingly, with Neville (og), Garcia and Kewell amongst the goals, before Andy van der Meyde levelled up matters with a red card of his own.

Substituted Twice, but Twice Victorious

The 2006-'07 season was as quiet as it gets for Gerrard in derby games, with a 3-0 reversal at Goodison Park, followed up by a 0-0 Anfield draw later that season, with Gerrard more or less on the periphery of things in both fixtures.

The one notable statistic to draw, was that the second match was Gerrard's 10th derby start in succession.

In 2007-'08 Gerrard was back in the thick of things; the away tie was decided by two Dirk Kuyt penalties as the Reds triumphed, 2-1.

Gerrard was brought down in the box after a surging run for the first spot kick, which saw Tony Hibbert dismissed for the foul.

Later on, Gerrard was the centre of attention again—this time, because boss Rafa Benitez was withdrawing him with 12 minutes to go, with the score at 1-1.

However, the change paid dividends, as Gerrard's replacement Lucas won the second penalty in the last minute, which Kuyt duly dispatched.

Back at Anfield, Gerrard was subbed again, but under different circumstances this time, as a final-minute substitution earned him applause from the Kop, after a dynamic and teamwork-fuelled display.

Gerrard hit the post with a fierce drive, but Liverpool won, 1-0, thanks to a Torres goal early on.

FA Cup Misery and Two More Strikes

The 2008-'09 season saw four Merseyside derbies, and the first cup tie between the two since the inception of the Premier League.

First up, was the Goodison Park league fixture, which the Reds duly won, 2-0, thanks to a Torres brace, with Gerrard heavily involved in the build-up to the first.

The Anfield league fixture in the new year finished 1-1, with Gerrard getting on the score-sheet in the second half to put the Reds ahead in his 250th appearance as Liverpool captain.

Six days later, the same sides met at the same location and ended up with the same result and the same goalscorers; Steven Gerrard and Tim Cahill the heroes, in Red and Blue respectively.

Gerrard's goal came this time after a flick from Torres sent him through on goal, and the captain finished decisively.

A fourth meeting of the season, the third in two weeks, followed, in the replay at Goodison.

This time, Gerrard was powerless to help his team avoid defeat after extra time, having succumbed to injury after just 16 minutes. Dan Gosling got the winner for the Blues in the 118th minute.

A Derby Double, a Hodgson-Inspired Surrender and the End of a Long Run

A half-fit Gerrard played his part in Liverpool's 2-0 win at Everton in the 2009-'10 season's first derby match, which was played in sodden conditions.

Later that season, a 1-0 Anfield win was similarly blessed, in the respite it offered from the disaster which was Liverpool's season as a whole.

Gerrard was key to Liverpool's home win that season.

Liverpool Echo said, "Steven Gerrard, meanwhile, picked the perfect stage to deliver his best performance in weeks, playing with dynamism and drive; like Carragher, you could see the demands of this frenzy suited him down to the ground."

"Fitting, then," the Echo said, "he provided the inch-perfect delivery from a corner for Kuyt to sneak in between Phil Neville and Tim Howard and give Liverpool a lead they never once looked like relinquishing, much to the chagrin of Evertonians."

And so to last season.

Under the misguidance of Roy Hodgson, Liverpool limped to a 2-0 reversal at Goodison Park, before Kenny Dalglish's return inspired an upturn in fortunes, starting with a 2-2 draw at Anfield.

That draw, though, saw Gerrard missing due to injury—breaking his sequence of starting every one of the previous 19 derby matches consecutively.

Statistics and Looking Ahead to Everton vs. Liverpool, 1st October

Total derby appearances: 24 (2 as sub)

Derby goals: 5

Derby red cards: 2

Wins: 13

Draws: 6

Defeats: 5

As Steven Gerrard edges back toward full fitness, following his long injury lay-off, Kenny Dalglish needs to assess whether his two 15-minute substitute run-outs against Brighton and Wolves will provide his talisman with enough match time to take the field from the start against Everton.

Six months is a long time to be out, but Gerrard's re-introduction in training has been long and slow, giving him ample time to get his footwork back in order. And he certainly didn't look overly rusty against Wolves, half-volleying a smart effort over the crossbar, and making the Reds look more vibrant immediately after his entrance.

It is highly unlikely that Gerrard would last the whole game at Goodison Park; but even an hour with their captain on the pitch would be a huge boost to a side looking to string a third consecutive victory together, and also halt a run of just two derby wins in the last seven meetings between the sides.

Ultimately, Dalglish may decide that a longer appearance from the bench is the best way forward, and Gerrard could conceivably offer a huge boost and final push for points if he entered the game with half an hour or so remaining on Saturday.

Whatever happens, Gerrard will be looking to play some part in his 25th Merseyside derby—and take the points back across Stanley Park with him when he's done.

Keep a look out for a whole host of further Everton vs. Liverpool articles all week from Karl Matchett on Bleacher Report!