Gerrard questing for another holy grail

Steven Gerrard is desperate to add a Premier League crown and another UEFA Champions League title to his Liverpool FC haul before he retires, telling Champions magazine: "I've got a drive and a hunger to match Istanbul, if not beat it. I don't just want to milk that final. I think I'd have regrets if I didn't win anything else."

'Finest hour'
The 28-year-old reached arguably the pinnacle of his profession when Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw at Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium. Gerrard concedes that winning that final in May 2005 remains the defining moment of his career. "Getting the captaincy was a big, big buzz," he told Champions, the official magazine of the UEFA Champions League. "But obviously Istanbul was mine and the club's finest hour for a long time. But I've got a drive and a hunger to match Istanbul, if not beat it. I don't just want to milk that final. I think I'd have regrets if I didn't win anything else."

Rightful place
Victory at home to Olympique de Marseille on Matchday 5 would confirm Liverpool's progress to the knockout phase of Europe's élite tournament regardless of the other result in Group D. It would also maintain what Gerrard feels is the club's rightful place. "Liverpool belong in Europe," the captain said. "Yes, you have to earn the right to be in it, but our history, the number of cups we've won in Europe, it's our stage, it's where we want to be. We see how successful the club have been. Players before our generation delivered, and fans expect the same of us today."

English rivalry
With five European Champion Clubs' Cups, Liverpool are the most successful English side in continental competition, but their record as the most decorated team in the league is under threat. The Reds have 18 titles to Manchester United FC's 17 from the 109 editions of the English championship. A United triumph this season would leave the northwest rivals all-square, yet for the moment, Rafael Benítez's men are eight points above the Old Trafford outfit, level with leaders Chelsea FC. Could this finally be the year for a club without a domestic crown since 1989/90?

'Getting closer'
Gerrard is not getting carried away. "I can understand why people are saying it," said the England midfielder. "We've gone down a couple of times by goals, we haven't given up, and we've managed to turn games around. So now they're saying we've got title credentials. It's nice, but it raises expectations. It's important to stay humble. We know we're a good team, we know we're getting closer to a title challenge – we can say that. But we've got to prove we can stay in the race till the end."

Maintaining standards
Being capable of keeping the pace is also one of Gerrard's targets for the remainder of his career. He is aware that he may be at his peak as a player, and is determined not to let standards slip. "I'm in my last five or six years, I want the manager to keep driving me on," he said, paying tribute to Benítez's tendency to praise his players sparingly. "I don't think I'm going to get another 10 per cent or 20 per cent better as a player. The challenge is to maintain standards."

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