Demba Ba did not feel sorry for Steven Gerrard over costly infamous Liverpool slip

Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba spoke out on the infamous moment that saw Steven Gerrard slip and gift the Blues a goal, which arguably cost Liverpool the Premier League title in 2014

Ex-Chelsea striker Demba Ba candidly revealed that he harbours no guilt over capitalising on Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip – which many believe cost Liverpool the Premier League title.

Despite the unfortunate mishap back in 2014, Gerrard of course remains a beloved figure among Anfield fans. But the stumble, during such a pivotal match at home to Chelsea that allowed Ba to score, was certainly one of Gerrard’s toughest days in a red shirt.

The stakes were high as Brendan Rodgers’ Reds were inching towards their first-ever Premier League title a decade ago. Only three matches stood between the club and a long-awaited league victory when they hosted Jose Mourinho’s team. Before the game started 10 years ago today (April 27, 2014), Liverpool led their closest rivals Manchester City by three points, although they had played one more match.

Chelsea trailed by five points, but Rodgers knew a victory would eliminate any threat from the Blues at this late stage of the season. However, one of the most unforgettable moments in English top-flight history happened just before half-time, derailing Liverpool’s title ambitions, reports the Mirror.

A harmless pass from Mamadou Sakho found its way to Gerrard, who uncharacteristically miscontrolled the ball. In his attempt to recover it, he slipped, giving Ba a clear path to the goal. The ex-Newcastle forward didn’t falter as he coolly slotted past the advancing Simon Mignolet.

During a chat with The Athletic, Ba was quizzed about whether he felt any remorse for that notorious goal, and his response was refreshingly frank. “No, not really,” Ba admitted.

“Because that’s the game. You make errors and others take advantage. What Steven Gerrard has done for the world of football is tremendous. But this is life, unfortunately. Not all stories can end in fairytales.”

The sting of the incident was even sharper for Gerrard considering his motivational speech to his team-mates just a fortnight earlier had included the poignant phrase “we do not let this slip”. As a small solace for Gerrard, Chelsea later sealed the match with a 94th-minute Willian goal, meaning Gerrard’s mishap wasn’t the sole reason for the defeat.

The Liverpool icon poured out his heartache in his autobiography years later. “I sat in the back of the car and felt the tears rolling down my face,” he revealed. “I hadn’t cried for years but, on the way home, I couldn’t stop. The tears kept coming. I can’t even tell you if the streets were thick with traffic or as empty as I was on the inside. It was killing me.”

In the end, Manchester City won their remaining games and clinched what was then their second Premier League title, leaving Liverpool in their wake. The Reds eventually did lift the trophy in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, while they’re currently battling City and Arsenal to clinch the title once again.