Steven Gerrard endured “worst three months” of his life after Liverpool, England heartbreak

Steven Gerrard’s career has, largely, been one of the most successful of any current player in the Premier League. He’s captained Liverpool to a UEFA Champions League title, led England at two different World Cups, scored some incredible goals and is a player idolized across the world.

Yet since April 27, 2014, things have gone downhill. Rapidly.

[RELATED: Gerrard retires from England]

If you remember back to the end of last season Gerrard, 35, slipped at a crucial moment to set Chelsea on their way to a win at Anfield that delivered a damaging blow to Liverpool’s title hopes. It was a cruel blow for the man who had so often been Liverpool’s savior over the years. Then, after Liverpool blew a 3-0 lead over Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the season which ultimately cost them the their first-ever PL title, Gerrard suffered the heartbreak of captaining England as they crashed out at the 2014 World Cup.

Over the offseason Gerrard has had to overcome plenty of adversity, in his own mind. Speaking to the Telegraph and Liverpool’s website, Gerrard admitted that the past three months have been the worst in his life.

“It’s probably been the worst three months of my life,” Gerrard said. “I’ve seen it a few times. I don’t have to watch something like that to go through the pain again and again and again. I’ve been through the pain in the dressing room after and in the weeks and months since. When something like that happens you have to face it up and be man enough to take it on the chin. Accept it happened. You can’t change it. I haven’t lost my man at a set-piece. I haven’t missed a penalty. I haven’t made a bad pass or a mistake. That’s why it was cruel. Every single person on the planet slips at some point in their life, whether it is on a set of stairs, on the floor or whatever.”

That slip against Chelsea will be remembered for a long time, as Liverpool’s hero for over a decade made a monster mistake at precisely the wrong moment. Turns out, lightning can strike twice. Sort of. After England lost 2-1 to Italy in their opening game of the World Cup, they knew they had to at least draw against Uruguay to stand a chance of making the knockout rounds. Late in the game with the scored locked at 1-1, a long ball forward saw Gerrard jump for the ball. Instead of winning the header clean, it flicked off the back of his head and found Luis Suarez. His Liverpool teammate drove another dagger into Gerrard’s heart by scoring the goal which knocked England out.

Gerrard wasn’t solely responsible for either Liverpool losing the title or England being knocked out of the World Cup, but his role as captain and the fact that he made pivotal mistakes at crucial times are eating away at him.

“Unfortunately I have had that tough time at club level at the end of the season and then I have gone into a World Cup hoping that it was going to go really well to help me get over it. But it backfired,” Gerrard said. “I have had two massive, unbelievable lows in a short space of time, so it is a good test for me this season. Can I hit form after that? I believe that I can.”

So, can Gerrard dust himself off and lead a new-look Liverpool towards the PL title and success in the Champions League this season? Bouncing back from the disappointment of the past three months could be his biggest challenge yet.

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