STEVEN GERRARD'S ferocious long-range strike allowed Liverpool to finally subdue a battling Manchester City at Anfield yesterday.

The Liverpool skipper scored a cracker in the Champions League in midweek, and more than matched it with the goal that broke City's defiance.Liverpool have now stretched their unbeaten home league record to 23 games while City have now won just one of their last 19 away league games . . . losing 16.

A midfield injury crisis forced Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez into a major reshuffle. With Xabi Alonso and Mark Gonzalez joining the growing casualty list in midweek, Benitez deployed full-back John Arne Riise on the left flank, with central defender Daniel Agger switching to left-back and Sami Hyypia returning in defence. City brought in Nedum Onuoha for his first senior start of the season.

Liverpool had the first chance when Richard Dunne misplaced a header and then Boudewijn Zenden saw a 20yard effort drift wide, but after 18 minutes Steven Gerrard went much closer from a similar range, his effort flashing past a post. City responded when Claudio Reyna sent a long ball for Hatem Trabelsi down the right, but as he reached the area he rushed his effort and put the ball into the Kop.

Liverpool should have taken the lead after 32 minutes when Hyypia's 60-yard crossfield pass dropped into the box for Luis Garcia, who did the hard part by producing perfect control from a difficult angle. But as he moved in on Weaver, he managed to hit the side-netting from six yards.

After the break, the pressure intensified as Liverpool attacked the Kop, but they continued to find Distin and Dunne in defiant mood. City were containing them well and Liverpool clearly needed to change something in their method of attack - Benitez opting to replace Luis Garcia with Jermaine Pennant on 59 minutes.

They reverted to a 4-4-2 system with Jamie Carragher at left-back, but almost immediately City wasted a good chance when Darius Vassell surged at the heart of Liverpool's defence, but his low drive flew just wide.

Carragher was then booked for a block on Trabelsi after 63 minutes, before Reyna fired wide from 18 yards. On 65 minutes Liverpool sent on Robbie Fowler for Crouch, the lanky striker having got precious little change from Dunne and Distin. But two minutes later Gerrard stamped his mark on the game. Kuyt robbed Distin and the Liverpool skipper surged onto the ball and blasted it past Weaver from 20 yards. Barton was leading the fightback, taking on Gerrard and forcing City forward. Samaras forced Jose Reina into a save at his near post and Reyna brought the Spanish keeper to his knees from 25 yards. City sent on Stephen Ireland for Trabelsi on 85 minutes, with Liverpool replacing Kuyt with Bellamy three minutes later but there were to be no more goals.