Gerrard message is clear

The England midfielder, shunted here, there and everywhere by his club manager, lifted a lifeless game with a 25-yard second-half strike as the Merseyside outfit all but confirmed their place in the Champions League for next season.

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By Gerrard's exalted standards, the goal was pretty regulation — and it arrived seconds after Benitez had moved his skipper into central midfield after Momo Sissoko was withdrawn.

Taking Bolo Zenden's square pass, Gerrard stepped forward to crash home his strike and, with it, an unequivocal message to the Liverpool manager that he is capable of knitting the side together.

Gerrard followed it up by snatching the ball away from his colleagues to sidefoot home a 65th-minute penalty after Middlesbrough defender Andrew Davies had pulled back Peter Crouch as the striker tried to leap for Jermaine Pennant's cross.

Gerrard's outstanding contribution sent Liverpool on their way to a win that lifted them 10 points clear of fifth-placed neighbours Everton with just four matches to play this season.

The top four qualifying for the Champions League.

Last night's victory should already be enough, with two of Everton's games being against top duo Chelsea and Manchester United.

This match never scaled the heights of others this season, but it was worth the entrance fee to see Gerrard drive his team forward and score two goals to take his tally for the club this season to 11.

Benitez said with a smile: "We all know Steve is happier in the middle, but you know my idea — we need to find a balance. He knows that sometimes he will play on the right and sometimes he will play in the middle.

"But with people like him in the side who can finish from distance, I always had confidence we would win. In these kind of games we know it's players like Steve who can do things like that.

"But the team did a good job. I knew it would be a game like this.

"The other team were compact and I always knew that the key to it would be the first goal."

The crowd were finally roused five minutes into the second half. There had been little to savour before the interval, but it all changed when Gerrard — who else? — earned a corner that Bolo Zenden swung into the area. Javier Mascherano steamed in but his header skimmed the bar.

That sparked overdue signs of life and the introduction of Dirk Kuyt added fresh impetus after Sissoko was withdrawn following a strong first-half challenge from Boro midfielder Lee Cattermole.

Gerrard released John Arne Riise, Kuyt made a nuisance of himself at the near post and Zenden's effort flew narrowly over.

A few moments after the local boy had made the switch into his preferred role, he opened the scoring after 58 minutes.

A ball was rolled into Gerrard's path by Zenden, the England midfielder took one touch and then, with a sweet swing of his right boot, fired the ball first bounce into the net.

Davies had been shown a yellow card by referee Graham Poll for diving in the opposition area shortly after Gerrard's goal.

Whether that public condemnation had affected him is unclear, but he certainly tried to get to grips with Crouch as the England frontman looked to get on the end of Pennant's centre.

Crouch appealed immediately to the official that he had been impeded, and Poll pointed to the spot. By rights, he could have added to Davies's misery by showing him a second yellow.

As it was , Gerrardsen t Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer the wrong way.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate immediately threw Mark Viduka on but it was way too little too late.

Southgate said: "Their goal was one of the few occasions when we lost our shape, but against this calibre of opposition you can't afford to do that. It would be harsh of me to be critical. We limited Liverpool to very few opportunities in the first hour."

But they reckoned without Gerrard. Not for the first time in his career, the midfielder stole the show — and from his favourite position.

No wonder Benitez could afford himself a rueful smile at the final whistle.

LIVERPOOL (4-4-1-1): Reina; Arbeloa, Agger, Carragher, Riise; Pennant, Mascherano, Sissoko (Kuyt 51min), Zenden; Gerrard (Gonzalez 87); Crouch. Scorer: Gerrard 58, 64 (pen).

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-5-1): Schwarzer; Davies, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor; Morrison (Viduka 66), Cattermole (Johnson 82), Boateng, Rochemback, Downing; Yakubu. Booked: Davies.

Man of the match: Steven Gerrard.

Referee: Graham Poll.