This star is fading, just that little bit too soon. After Steven Gerrard announced in January his decision to leave Liverpool for LA Galaxy in the summer, many were anticipating one last hurrah in a red shirt, given so many had come before. ‘I want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over,’ he said back then, less than three months ago. Eighty days, in fact. Plunging his studs into Ander Herrera’s ankle in a vital match against bitter rivals Manchester United, one of the most tantalising games on the fixture list, was surely not what he had in mind. Especially as defeat has left them five points adrift of United in fourth. Steven Gerrard is shown a straight red card against Manchester United after being on the pitch for 38seconds . Gerrard makes the long walk back to the dressing room after being sent off against Manchester United . When a 19-year-old Gerrard picked up the ball 40 yards from goal, waltzed past two Sheffield Wednesday players before finding the bottom left corner with a right-footed drive for his first ever Liverpool strike, his team-mates mobbed him. The boy who had joined the club aged eight had become a man. A star was born. That strike had provided a two-goal cushion when a makeshift Liverpool side - hit by injuries - was struggling against bottom-of-the-table Wednesday in 1999. A bright, twinkling career was beckoning; one in which his passion, guile and leadership would shine fiercely throughout. He would lead the team by example many, many more times. To not even be considered as a regular starter, to reduce his own swan-song by three games due to a moment of madness, is not how he would have imagined it ending 16 years later. Steven Gerrard celebrates at the end of the game after scoring against Sheffield Wednesday in 1999 . Or that he was not at the heart of their 13-game unbeaten run in the Premier League which was driving the team towards a Champions League spot. That he would start just five of those and then be so largely to blame for their capitulation in the 14th. The infamous slip last season against Chelsea, which many credit for ending Liverpool’s title chances, could have been buried beneath all the trophies and silverware. But too many crucial mistakes and they begin to stand out more prominently. It is not the first time Gerrard has been sent off against Manchester United - he saw red in 2011 . Gerrard has been sent off six times in his Liverpool career - seen here against Leeds, Everton and Chelsea . This is not the goodbye he would’ve wanted, or the one he deserves after being the catalyst of a team hanging to the coattails of the league’s best for over a decade to a Champions League, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Cup. His greatness will never be forgotten, but neither will these high-profile errors at the end if they keep occurring. Gerrard has picked up six Premier League red cards now, often a byproduct of leaders when their passion spills over. Only seven players have received more, including Roy Keane with seven and Patrick Vieira with eight. But the big occasions are when these types of explosive players are supposed to be able to keep it under control. Gerrard has been Liverpool's inspirational leader for over a decade . Gerrard will be best remembered for leading Liverpool to a number of trophies - including the FA Cup and Champions League . There is still the hope of an FA Cup final at Wembley to celebrate his 35th birthday on Saturday, May 30. But due to his ban he will not even be in the side to help them reach it in their FA Cup replay against Blackburn. Nor for their next, crucial, Premier League match against Champions League rivals Arsenal or the game versus Newcastle. As it stands there are six games remaining of Liverpool’s season and Gerrard’s Merseyside career. If they progress to the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa in his absence, that will be seven, and eight if they make it to the final. Given all that has gone before, how much he will be desperate to go out on a high before he crosses the Atlantic. But will Brendan Rodgers trust him again? Or has this star been snuffed out too soon?
Steven Gerrard was sent off against Man United after just 38 seconds . It was the sixth time in Gerrard's career that he was sent off . Gerrard will leave Liverpool at the end of the season and join LA Galaxy . READ: Gerrard red card was so quick it failed to register on Anfield clock . Graham Poll: Martin Atkinson was right to send off Gerrard . READ: The most shocking moments in Premier League history (50-41)