Brendan Rodgers made a mistake not starting Steven Gerrard against Manchester United, talkSPORT told

Ray Wilkins believes Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers blundered by not playing Steven Gerrard from the start against Manchester United.

Gerrard was introduced at half-time of Sunday’s crucial top four showdown at Anfield with his side trailing 1-0 but lasted less than a minute as he was sent off for a stamp on Ander Herrera.

Liverpool went on to lose 2-1, leaving them five points adrift of United who are occupying the final Champions League qualification spot.

Frustration has been blamed for Gerrard’s moment of madness and Wilkins reckons it could have been avoided had Rodgers not left the 34-year-old to stew on the bench.

Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, the ex-England captain said: “If you saw him in the week against Swansea, he had a 35 minute cameo and controlled the whole game.

“I thought Brendan may well have started him yesterday. He is a big game player.

“It’s the ringcraft. You look at the way Michael Carrick moved around the field and kept Manchester United ticking over. He was first class and that is exactly what Liverpool needed yesterday.

“Manchester United took the game away from Liverpool from the first minute and Michael Carrick was instrumental in doing that.

“You get lots of enthusiasm out of young players but, in certain games, you need that one player who has that little bit of craft around the pitch and [leaving out] Stevie Gerrard was probably the only mistake that Brendan has made for a long period.”