Last updated on August 6, 2025
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Steven Gerrard’s slip, a heartbreaking error by Liverpool’s beloved captain, allowed Demba Ba to score.
Image credit: FootballFunnys
In the 2013/14 Premier League season, Liverpool were on the brink of a historic comeback.
After two decades of near-misses, the Reds—under Brendan Rodgers’ daring leadership—had reignited belief across Anfield.
With an electrifying attack led by Luis Suárez, Daniel Sturridge, and young stars like Raheem Sterling, Liverpool looked destined to end their 24-year wait for the Premier League title.
As they play each match, it felt like a step closer to the ultimate prize. Fans dreamed. The city buzzed. The phrase “This is our year” had never felt more real.
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But football has a ruthless way of rewriting fairytales.
In a decisive match against Chelsea at Anfield, just three games from the finish line, one moment flipped the entire title race on its head.
Steven Gerrard’s slip, a heartbreaking error by Liverpool’s beloved captain, allowed Demba Ba to score—and with it, shattered Liverpool’s title dreams.
In that one slip — a simple, human mistake — everything changed. It became one of the most unforgettable moments in Premier League history.
Not just for what it was, but for what it cost.
This is the story of Liverpool’s title dreams — of a city that dared to believe again, and of the heartbreaking moment when joy slipped away and hope turned to heartbreak.
Table of Contents
Liverpool’s Title Surge
Liverpool’s title dreams didn’t come out of nowhere — they were built on some of the most exciting football the Premier League had seen in years.
With Luis Suárez leading the charge, supported by Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, and Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool’s attack was unstoppable.
Week after week, they scored goals for fun. They didn’t just win games — they blew teams away.
Suárez alone scored 31 goals that season, and the team finished with over 100 goals in total.
Fans weren’t just watching matches — they were witnessing magic.
The energy around the club was electric. Brendan Rodgers had given the team a fearless identity.
Anfield roared with every pass, every goal, every tackle. The belief grew stronger with each win.
For the first time in years, it really felt like this was it — Liverpool’s title dreams were within reach.
Hope spread across the city. Kids wore their jerseys with pride, and older fans who’d waited since 1990 finally saw light at the end of the tunnel.
No one could have predicted that Steven Gerrard’s slip, just weeks later, would turn all that joy into one of the most painful moments in Premier League history.
The Crucial Fixture vs Chelsea
As the season neared its end, Liverpool’s title dreams came down to one massive game — a home match against Chelsea at Anfield.
Just three games to go. Win this, and the Premier League trophy would be almost in their hands.
But Chelsea, managed by José Mourinho, had other ideas.
They arrived with a clear plan: defend deep, waste time, and frustrate Liverpool’s fast-paced attack.
It wasn’t pretty football — but it was clever.
Mourinho even rested key players, knowing that a draw or win for Chelsea could seriously damage Liverpool’s chances.
The atmosphere at Anfield that day was intense. You could feel the tension in the air.
Fans waved flags and sang louder than ever, trying to push the team over the line.
Everyone knew what was at stake — not just three points, but the dream of a generation.
Every pass, every shot, every touch felt heavier than usual.
The pressure wasn’t just on the players — it was on the entire club, the city, and the millions of supporters who had waited so long.
And then came the moment that would become one of the most unforgettable in Premier League history — Steven Gerrard’s slip, still ahead in the next part of this story, would change ever
The Slip: A Defining Moment
Just before halftime, with the score still 0–0, Liverpool were trying to build from the back.
Steven Gerrard.
— GOAL (@goal) April 27, 2020
That slip.
Six years ago today.pic.twitter.com/EdHzw8Y6Sr
The ball was passed to Steven Gerrard — the captain, the heart of the team, the player who had carried Liverpool for so many years.
But as he tried to control the ball, he lost his footing. In a heartbreaking moment, Gerrard slipped.
It was quick — almost too quick to believe.
One second he was ready to drive forward, the next he was on the ground.
Chelsea’s Demba Ba pounced, raced through, and calmly slotted the ball past Simon Mignolet.
The stadium fell silent.
Just like that, the mood changed. The joy, the belief, the fire — it was as if everything had been sucked out of Anfield in an instant.
That one slip became the turning point in Liverpool’s title dreams.
Image credit: Fredriks
The players looked stunned. The fans were frozen. It didn’t feel real.
Gerrard, a man who had given everything to the club, had made a simple, human mistake at the worst possible time.
And sadly, that one slip became the turning point in Liverpool’s title dreams.
From that moment on, the game slipped away — and with it, maybe the entire season.
It wasn’t just a goal. It was a punch to the gut.
And in the story of Premier League history, this moment would never be forgotten.
Aftermath
After the loss to Chelsea, everything changed.
Liverpool’s title dreams were still alive, but the confidence had clearly been shaken.
The team that had looked fearless and full of belief suddenly seemed nervous. The pressure of the title race was now heavier than ever.
The next game against Crystal Palace showed just how much that slip had affected them.
Liverpool were leading 3–0 and cruising — but then something collapsed.
Palace came back to score three late goals, and the match ended 3–3. It felt like a nightmare.
Two games, five points dropped. The title was slipping away.
Meanwhile, Manchester City stayed calm, focused, and consistent.
They won their remaining matches and overtook Liverpool to win the league.
It was a heartbreaking end to what had been such a magical season.
You could see it on Steven Gerrard’s face after the Chelsea game — the pain, the regret, the weight of it all.
He stood in front of the cameras and took full responsibility, even though he had carried the team all season.
“I think about that game against Chelsea with slip and I think our tactical approach was probably inexperienced for the whole game.”
For many fans, it felt like more than just a missed chance. It felt like a dream had died right in front of their eyes.
Legacy of the Slip
Over time, Steven Gerrard’s slip became more than just a moment in a football match — it became a symbol.
For some, unfairly, it came to define his entire career.
That one misstep overshadowed years of brilliance, loyalty, and unforgettable performances in a red shirt.
The internet didn’t make it any easier.
Memes, jokes, and highlight reels replayed the slip over and over again. Rival fans mocked it.
Commentators couldn’t stop bringing it up. Even when Gerrard retired, that single moment followed him like a shadow.
But to Liverpool fans, and to many others who truly watched his career, Gerrard was so much more than that slip.
He was the leader who dragged the team through impossible games, the midfielder who scored wonder goals, and the captain who gave everything for the badge.
Still, in the wider story of Premier League history, that moment stood out — not because it showed weakness, but because it was a painful reminder of how cruel football can be.
Liverpool’s title dreams had been so close, and that slip became the image of what could’ve been.
For all the brilliance of that 2013/14 season, the story is often reduced to a few seconds of misfortune.
And that’s what makes it hurt even more.
Redemption Stories
In the 2019/20 season, Liverpool’s title dreams came true. After 30 long years, they were crowned Premier League champions.
Image credit: FIFA
For Steven Gerrard, the pain of that slip never fully went away. He admitted it stayed with him, every single day.
But what made Gerrard special wasn’t just how he played — it was how he carried himself when things went wrong.
Even after that heartbreak, he didn’t hide. He didn’t make excuses.
He kept leading, kept fighting, and gave everything for Liverpool until the day he left the club.
That kind of strength — real leadership — is something no mistake can take away.
And then, years later, something beautiful happened.
Under Jürgen Klopp, a new Liverpool rose. With players like Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Virgil van Dijk, and Jordan Henderson, the team finally did it.
In the 2019/20 season, Liverpool’s title dreams came true. After 30 long years, they were crowned Premier League champions.
It wasn’t just a trophy — it was healing. For the club. For the fans. And, in some ways, for Gerrard too.
Because even though he wasn’t on the pitch, his legacy lived on. The players spoke his name with respect. The fans still sang his song.
The dream he chased for so long had finally come home.
Conclusion
Sometimes, it’s not the goals or the wins that stay with us — it’s the moments that broke our hearts.
Steven Gerrard’s slip wasn’t just a mistake. It was one of those rare moments when everything changes in an instant.
One second of misfortune, and suddenly, the dream so many people had believed in — fans, players, the whole city — started to fall apart.
It hurt even more because it happened to am n who had given his whole career to Liverpool. He didn’t deserve to be remembered for that.
But football doesn’t always care about fair.
That’s the thing about this game — it can lift you up and break you in the same breath. It’s cruel, yes.
But it’s also why we care so much. Because when you love a club, you feel everything — the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
Liverpool’s title dreams didn’t die that day. They just had to wait a little longer.
And when the team finally did it in 2020, it felt like closure — not just for the club, but for every supporter who lived through that painful season.
Because in the end, it wasn’t just a slip — it was a shattering of dreams.
People Also Ask
Did Gerrard’s slip cost Liverpool the title?
Gerrard’s slip didn’t lose the title by itself, but it was a turning point. The loss to Chelsea, followed by the 3–3 draw with Crystal Palace, made it hard for Liverpool to recover.
Who scored after Gerrard slipped?
After Gerrard slipped near the halfway line, Chelsea’s Demba Ba picked up the ball, ran through on goal, and scored past Simon Mignolet. It was a shocking moment — one that stunned Anfield and shifted the mood of the match entirely.
