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"Please celebrate with me!" | Neil Mellor on Steven Gerrard Olympiakos goal

Neil Mellor joined Off The Ball on Tuesday evening to relive the magic of that Champions League n...



Neil Mellor joined Off The Ball on Tuesday evening to relive the magic of that Champions League night at Anfield in 2004.

Mellor played a crucial part in that Steven Gerrard goal, against Olympiacos to win 3-1 at Anfield in the 2004-2005 Champions League.

Mellor remembers the play in minute detail and has special praise for the commentator on the evening.

"I've seen Martin Tyler who is the commentator since, and I've thanked him because the commentary certainly helps me," says Mellor picking up the story.

"The way he describes it 'a lovely cushioned header."

Options

That might not be the whole truth, as Mellor recalls.

"What happened was, the ball came up to me and I don't know what Jamie Carragher was doing up on the left-wing, but that's where Carra was.

"He dinks it into me, I'm on the edge of the penalty area and I've got a few options in my head.

"Do I control it, maybe try and turn the defender, try get a shot away myself?

"Do I flick it on to somebody maybe running in behind or do I lay it off onto the edge of the penalty area?

"I can only see two players when I look. I see John Arne Riise who is the left full-back, and I'm thinking if I lay it into his path, that's going to be his right foot.

"About one in 500 to hit the target with his right foot. Not a good option.

"Steven Gerrard is the other one, a little bit deeper but I fancy the skipper hitting the target from there rather than John Arne Riise. so I've just put it into an area and obviously Stevie has hit an unbelievable goal."

"When he scores and it's a great moment. I stand there on the edge of the area thinking celebrate with me, please celebrate with me.

"He just barges past me, winds me as he pushes me out of the way and heads for the corner of the Kop.

"I was only about the eighth or ninth person there to celebrate, but it was a great moment."

Neil Mellor was talking to OTB as part of our Champions League Best Moment series, in association with Virgin Media Sport  #WeFreeSport”.

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Champions League Gerrard Liverpool Mellor Steven Gerrard