Steven Gerrard agrees with Robbie Fowler on his 'best'…

Steven Gerrard agrees with Robbie Fowler on his 'best' goal for Liverpool

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has named Steven Gerrard's stoppage-time strike in the 2006 FA Cup final as his favourite goal by the former Reds skipper.

With Liverpool trailing to West Ham United 3-2 in the final seconds of the showpiece final, Gerrard, as the fourth official indicated a minimum of five additional minutes, latched on to a half-hearted clearance by a Hammers defender and unleashed a formidable strike past Shaka Hislop 35 yards from goal.

It was the second time that Rafa Benitez's side had been forced to come from behind during the final, as an own goal from Jamie Carragher and a strike from Dean Ashton saw the Premier League outfit race into a two-goal lead at the Millennium Stadium.

Efforts from Djibril Cisse and a first of the afternoon from Gerrard had seen the Reds restore parity. However, that was short-lived as a freakish, fortunate cross from Paul Konchesky handed Alan Pardew's side the advantage once more as the game entered its final innings.

That handed the Liverpool skipper the perfect platform to produce arguably his greatest moment for his boyhood club as he, like he had done countless times before, dragged his side out of the depths of despair with a moment of footballing genius.

On the anniversary of his first-team debut for the Reds back in November 1998, Liverpool asked users of Twitter to name their favourite strike from the legendary midfielder.

With the club using Gerrard's famous last-minute equaliser against Olympiacos in December 2004, which saw the Reds qualify from the group stages and kickstart their historic run to the Champions League final later that season in Istanbul, Fowler replied: "West Ham cup final for me [love heart emoji]"

As the game headed for extra time in Cardiff, neither side was able to add to their tally, which meant the final was decided on penalties. Goalkeeper Pepe Reina was the eventual hero for Liverpool as he saved three penalties during the shootout and ensured the Reds claimed their seventh FA Cup triumph and first in five years.

During his 710 appearances for Liverpool across a 17-year professional career at Anfield, Gerrard notched a catalogue of iconic goals; with his strike in May 2006 against the Hammers, along with his header against AC Milan in Istanbul the previous year, regarded as two of his finest in a red shirt.

At the time of announcing his retirement in November 2016, Gerrard was the only player to have scored in an FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and UEFA Cup finals, leaving little doubt about his capacity to deliver when his team-mates required him most.

The 42-year-old has previously admitted that he, like Fowler, holds his second strike against the Hammers in higher regard than any of his other 185 strikes.

“Probably the FA Cup one in 2006 against West Ham,” he told Sky Sports earlier this year, when asked about the best strike of his career. “Just because of the time and because of how I felt and obviously the importance of the goal.

"The way I felt I didn’t have much left, it was a really hot day, West Ham were fantastic on the day they really ran us.

"I think the majority of our players were cramped up, we were tired and the distance where I was, looking at it now, normally you’d probably start an attack off rather than take that on.

“So I tried my luck, thankfully the connection was good and very relieved to see it fly in the back of the goal."

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