Key man Gerrard is crucial to Benitez masterplan

Whether or not he's abandoned plans to sign Steve Gerrard, there's little doubt that Jose Mourinho will have identified the Liverpool captain as the biggest single threat to Chelsea's bid for a place in the European Cup Final.

Gerrard will be the key figure in ensuring that Liverpool remain faithful to a game plan designed to deny Chelsea counter-attacking opportunities. With this all-English semi-final intriguingly balanced at 0-0, the vociferous locals will be urging their heroes to concentrate on attack to secure the single goal that could take them to Istanbul on 25 May. That, of course, is just what Mourinho and the new Premiership champions hope will happen. Chelsea are at their most menacing when defending their 18-yard line.

An all-out assault by Liverpool would be an invitation to Chelsea to claim the away goal that could decide the tie and further immortalise Mourinho in his astonishing debut season in English football.

A wily European strategist who won the UEFA Cup last season, Rafael Benitez knows that Liverpool cannot afford to hand Chelsea an away goal. Gerrard will therefore be a critical influence and Benitez said: "Steve's passing, experience and quality make him our key player and winning this means more to him than anything else."

For Gerrard, it may turn out to be the last throw of the dice in a season that started in confusion and could still end in frustration. Just 24 hours away from joining Chelsea for £30million last summer, he decided to commit himself to his hometown club and helped them reach the Carling Cup Final in February. Liverpool were leading in Cardiff until a late own goal by Gerrard - "the lowest point of my career" - took the game into extra-time.

Chelsea won 3-2, their third victory of the season over Liverpool who lost both Premiership encounters 1-0. But Liverpool wriggled out from under Mourinho's heel last week when the Benitez strategy earned a 0-0 draw in the first leg.