Gerrard strike fails to hide Liverpool angst

A sensational volley by Steven Gerrard, shown here in January 2005, failed to mask another disappointing Premiership performance by Liverpool as the Champions League semi-finalists were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough at Anfield.

A sensational volley by Steven Gerrard failed to mask another disappointing Premiership performance by Liverpool as the Champions League semi-finalists were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough at Anfield.

The Liverpool captain unleashed an unstoppable long-range effort, his sixth Premiership goal of the season, to deny Middlesbrough their first win at the venue for 29 years after Szilard Nemeth had fired the visitors into a shock lead.

Despite powering into the last four of Europe's top knockout competition, Liverpool have now managed just one win in their last five league games and look set to miss out to neighbours Everton in the race to finish fourth.

Manager Rafael Benitez placed more emphasis on this fixture than next week's Champions League semi-final second leg against Premiership leaders Chelsea, though the current ambiguity over whether Liverpool would be able to defend a European title should they finish outside the top four justified his concern.

With one eye clearly on Tuesday's semi-final, Benitez made five changes to the side which carved out a 0-0 draw at Chelsea three days earlier.

Sami Hyypia, Milan Baros, Djimi Traore, Luis Garcia were among those rested while Harry Kewell made his first Premiership start since December after recovering from a groin injury.

Middlesbrough arrived at Anfield without a win at the venue since 1976 but with their own pursuit of the UEFA Cup gathering pace.

Steve McClaren was hoping his side could take advantage from the fact that, after 13 Champions League games this season, Liverpool have won only twice in their next fixture.

But neither the Middlesbrough manager or Liverpool supporters could have believed that the visitors would stamp their authority so early in the game as Nemeth pounced for his sixth goal of the season after just three minutes.

The Slovakian international striker produced a clinical finish from inside the area after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's defence-splitting pass left Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek exposed.

Liverpool were a shadow of the side that had performed so heroically to reach the last four of the Champions League.

Apart from a couple of long-range volleys by John Arne Riise, they rarely looked like equalising before half-time and had Riise not intercepted Nemeth's ball across the six-yard area, intended for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, the damage would have been greater.

Liverpool emerged a different team after the break as Middlesbrough were penned inside their own half for long periods.

Brad Jones, deputising for fellow Australian Mark Schwarzer who was injured, did well to keep out a powerful header by substitute Luis Garcia who was introduced at the start of the second half in place of the disappointing Argentina defender Mauricio Pellegrino.

It was always going to take something special to break down the well-marshalled visitors' defence and special Gerrard's 52nd minute effort certainly was.

Standing at least 25-yards out, he launched an unstoppable, bending volley which Jones had no chance of stopping. Even by the England international's own high standards, it was a goal to savour.