Gerrard hat trick leads Liverpool past Everton
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Steven Gerrard was all smiles in the 0 win over Everton at Anfield on Tuesday.
Gerrard brought his Premier League goal tally to five on the season, netting in the 34th, 51st, and 90th minutes.
The win keeps Liverpool's hopes of Champions League qualification alive, but the Reds still have a tough road ahead as they sit 10 points adrift of fourth- place Arsenal with just 10 games remaining in the Premier League season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Liverpool came close to getting in front after just six minutes when Gerrard broke free inside the box. The English midfielder unleashed a powerful shot that was parried away by Tim Howard, and Jordan Henderson's attempt from the rebound was denied by a sprawling block from Jack Rodwell.
Everton answered back with a glorious chance moments later. Leighton Baines danced inside the box and laid the ball off to an unmarked Steven Pienaar, but the South African sent a wayward shot over bar from just eight yards out.
The home side eventually grabbed the lead thanks to a brilliant finish from its talisman 11 minutes before the break.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Martin Kelly found space on the right side of the penalty area and forced two saves out of Howard in quick succession. The rebound fell to Gerrard at the top of the box and the Liverpool captain curled a lovely shot over Howard and his Everton defenders as it sailed just under the crossbar.
Gerrard doubled the lead less than six minutes into the second half. Luis Suarez made a great run in behind the defense and easily made his way past Sylvain Distin along the endline. The Uruguayan drifted into the center of the penalty area before Gerrard roofed a one-time shot past Howard for his second goal of the match.
Gerrard completed his hat trick deep into second-half stoppage time as he connected on a square pass from Suarez and powered another shot past Howard.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was the first time that Liverpool managed to score in Premier League play at Anfield in 2012. Its only previous goal in the calendar year came as the result of an own goal from Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, a match that the Gunners came back to win 2-1.
The result snaps a three-game losing skid for Liverpool and a six-game unbeaten run for Everton.
The Toffees could have jumped ahead of the Reds with a win on Tuesday, but they instead remain in ninth place on 37 points.