STEVEN GERRARD showed the stomach for battle as his stunning hat-trick sank Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Skipper Gerro lumped it to Liverpool's old rivals — and walked off the pitch with the match ball shoved up his shirt.
The midfielder celebrated his 400th Premier League game by becoming the first player to score a derby treble since his idol Ian Rush 30 years ago.
Gerrard, 31, said: "I suppose it does make it more special with Ian Rush. He's a hero of mine. I looked up to him for a long time and watched many, many videos of him.
"But let's not be stupid, I'm not comparing myself to Ian Rush. He scored 300-odd goals so he's a different breed.
"But to beat Everton is always special, so to get three goals is a little bit extra."
Welsh legend Rush scored FOUR for Liverpool at Everton's Goodison Park home in 1982.
Liverpool had lost three straight league games for the first time in nine years ahead of last night's clash.
Gerrard added: "The inconsistency we've been showing in the league has been frustrating.
"We're going from one extreme to the other at the moment and we need to find a level of consistency where we go on a winning streak.
"Otherwise we'll find ourselves in a position in the league we don't want."
Kop boss Kenny Dalglish said: "Steven Gerrard has been fantastic for this football club. There's no way I can do him justice.
"I haven't got enough words in my vocabulary. But he'll get the headlines and three goals is a fantastic reward for him.
"He's had a few bumps this year. It will put a smile on his face.
"I've always believed in the way we play and now we want to carry on and do the best we can."
Everton chief David Moyes saw his 10th anniversary celebrations fall flat — and gave no excuses for making six changes to his team.
He said: "We've got a big week coming up with the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
"We took three points from matches against Tottenham and Liverpool so I can't be too disappointed with that.
"But we gave away three terrible goals and it hurts because I'm the Everton manager and we lost to Liverpool."
Skipper Gerro lumped it to Liverpool's old rivals — and walked off the pitch with the match ball shoved up his shirt.
The midfielder celebrated his 400th Premier League game by becoming the first player to score a derby treble since his idol Ian Rush 30 years ago.
Gerrard, 31, said: "I suppose it does make it more special with Ian Rush. He's a hero of mine. I looked up to him for a long time and watched many, many videos of him.
"But let's not be stupid, I'm not comparing myself to Ian Rush. He scored 300-odd goals so he's a different breed.
"But to beat Everton is always special, so to get three goals is a little bit extra."
Welsh legend Rush scored FOUR for Liverpool at Everton's Goodison Park home in 1982.
Liverpool had lost three straight league games for the first time in nine years ahead of last night's clash.
Gerrard added: "The inconsistency we've been showing in the league has been frustrating.
"We're going from one extreme to the other at the moment and we need to find a level of consistency where we go on a winning streak.
"Otherwise we'll find ourselves in a position in the league we don't want."
Kop boss Kenny Dalglish said: "Steven Gerrard has been fantastic for this football club. There's no way I can do him justice.
"I haven't got enough words in my vocabulary. But he'll get the headlines and three goals is a fantastic reward for him.
"He's had a few bumps this year. It will put a smile on his face.
"I've always believed in the way we play and now we want to carry on and do the best we can."
Everton chief David Moyes saw his 10th anniversary celebrations fall flat — and gave no excuses for making six changes to his team.
He said: "We've got a big week coming up with the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
"We took three points from matches against Tottenham and Liverpool so I can't be too disappointed with that.
"But we gave away three terrible goals and it hurts because I'm the Everton manager and we lost to Liverpool."
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