Steven Gerrard: Liverpool Captain's Top 5 Moments Against Manchester United

Steven Gerrard returned to Liverpool's starting lineup for the first time in seven months in today's 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League. A good display from the Liverpool captain offered several plus points, with the best being picked out here.

Gerrard filled several positions during the course of the match and was instrumental in much of the Reds' attacking play, but also showed good commitment to the cause on the defensive side of things.

His first goal of the season was ultimately not enough to secure victory for his team, but Gerrard can take heart and confidence from an impressive first starting performance of the season.

5. Named on the Team Sheet to Start

Something that Steven Gerrard, as captain and one of the country's finest players, probably would have previously taken for granted—being named in the starting 11 for today's crunch game—would have been a big boost for Liverpool's No. 8.

After Gerrard's three successive appearances from the bench and a full week of training during the international break, manager Kenny Dalglish judged the time to be right to throw his skipper back into the thick of things. It would have been a real boost to Gerrard to realise he was going to be back out playing football from the beginning.

4. Defensive Covering

This was not so much an individual moment as a general job he had to do during the course of the game. Gerrard never shirked his responsibilities in defence against United, and even though he was in theory the furthest forward of Liverpool's midfield, he was often found clearing up in midfield deeper than Charlie Adam in the first half.

Later on, when he was moved backwards when Lucas left the field, Gerrard was arguably the most defensively placed of the Reds' midfield and held the centre of the park well, including doing one of the jobs that Lucas usually does so well, sweeping up in behind his full-backs.

3. Dangerous Deliveries from Wide Areas

Let's clear something up quickly—I don't mean corners. They were, and usually have been, more or less woeful from Steven Gerrard.

But crossing a moving ball is another matter.

On multiple occasions during the game, Gerrard received the ball in either channel, and he had both the vision and the ability to pick out a runner and make the cross count.

His finest ball during the game today came in the first half, after a quickly taken short corner from Charlie Adam was whipped across the face of goal by Gerrard. The ball needed only a touch from Dirk Kuyt or Luis Suarez, who just missed it, to take it past David de Gea and into the net.

2. One Start, One Goal

Gerrard owes a debt of thanks to Ryan Giggs after the Welshman very kindly wimped out of blocking the ball, but the target still had to be hit and Gerrard did it, netting yet another set-piece goal against Manchester United in the process.

Goals always boost the confidence of players, and Gerrard will be delighted that he has notched his first of the season so early after coming back.

Here's hoping he rattles in a few more in the weeks that follow.

1. Lasting the Full 90 Minutes

Liverpool's captain visibly tired towards the end of the game, understandably, especially after a tussle near the touchline with United forward Danny Welbeck, as he fought to send a late cross into the United box.

However, last all 90 minutes Gerrard did, and the hard match will do his match fitness a world of good.

With a full week until Liverpool's next competitive match against Norwich City next weekend—they do play a midweek friendly against Rangers on Tuesday—Gerrard should have ample opportunity to get a lot of conditioning done in training and be fit and raring to go from the start again in a week's time.

With 90 minutes under his belt today and not too many games this season in mid-week, Gerrard should more or less be a fixture in the Liverpool team again from this point onwards.