Not for the first time in his career, Steven Gerrard took centre stage at Anfield on a Saturday afternoon.
Starring in the latest edition of the Liverpool Legends fixtures, the 42-year-old opened the scoring against Celtic from the penalty spot - as he did in last year’s 2-1 defeat by Barcelona Legends.
Even before a ball had been kicked, the No.8 had become the player of focus for both sets of supporters. Receiving the loudest cheer from the home faithful as the starting line-ups were announced on the PA system, there were boos from the away end as Celtic gave the ex-Rangers boss a hostile reception from the get-go.
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As the game got going, every touch or misplaced pass from Gerrard was celebrated like a goal by the away end. This was followed by chants such as, 'cheer up, Stevie G', and, 'if you hate Steven Gerrard, clap your hands', though the Whiston-born midfielder remained unfazed by such taunts.
The perfect opportunity to silence these digs arose shortly before the half-time whistle when Martin Skrtel was brought down inside the Celtic box, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. There was only ever going to be one man stepping up to the spot.
Slotting into the bottom right corner of the goal, behind which the 4,000 plus Celtic fans were located, the 2005 Champions League winner wheeled away in celebration and made a point of responding to those who had been giving him a tough time.
Cupping his ears before pounding the Liverpool badge on his shirt, Gerrard issued the most emphatic of responses to drown out the Rangers-fuelled vitriol aimed in his direction.
For those making their first trip to Anfield on Saturday, watching the ex-England international become the centre of attention may have been a novel experience but regular match-goers have become accustomed to this being the norm - even after his exit from the club in 2015.
Supporters of sides such as Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United continue to chant about Gerrard’s infamous slip from the 2013/14 season to this day, which they insist was the sole reason Liverpool were denied becoming Premier League champions.
Although this song undoubtedly has a light-hearted touch to it, that he remains a player opposition supporters continue to obsess over is a compliment that could be lost on some. Gerrard terrorised a number of teams throughout his successful playing career, so it is little wonder individuals refuse to let pain of past years go.
In the end, it was the Liverpool icon who had the last laugh. He paraded the pitch after the full-time whistle to a hero’s reception, a fitting tribute to a player whose quality is unlikely to be matched by anyone at Anfield in the modern era.
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