Liverpool 1-1 Manchester United: Gerrard scores as Liverpool are held.

Steven Gerrard marked his first start of the 2011/12 season with a goal, as Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime.

On his return to the initial teamsheet for the first time since March, the captain netted with a sublime free-kick in the 68th minute to give his side the lead in a tense contest.

However, with ten minutes remaining, substitute Javier Hernandez rescued a point for the visitors, heading home from a corner to widen the gap between the two sides to seven points.

Prior to his 250th league game in charge of Liverpool, Kenny Dalglish brought in Gerrard to replace Andy Carroll in the starting eleven, with Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez seemingly leading the line in a 4-4-2 formation.

Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson decided against playing Wayne Rooney, Hernandez and Nani from the first whistle, with the nineteen-year-old Phil Jones moving into the midfield.

Liverpool started brightly, with dangerous deliveries from Jose Enrique and Steven Gerrard causing problems for the United defence. The visitors' first meaningful chance saw a high Patrice Evra cross find Phil Jones, who failed to get his header on target.

In the 21st minute, a short corner routine between Charlie Adam and Gerrard allowed the latter to play a teasing ball into the penalty area, where Luis Suarez's glance across the face of goal lacked the direction to give Dalglish's side the lead.

The Uruguayan's influence on the game was growing, and he went close to giving his team the lead in the 34th minute. Adam's run and shot from deep eventually found its way to Suarez, who turned Jonny Evans and forced a reaction save from David De Gea.

Liverpool were making better used of the ball, but their opponents still posed a threat - a point proven when Ji-Sung Park stole the ball from Enrique and worked space on the edge of the area, only to fire well wide. A rare mistake from the Reds full-back who was putting in another impressive performance.

It is likely that Dalglish would have used the half-time interval to urge his charges to trouble De Gea more in the second period. Six minutes in, Kuyt and the Kop screamed for a penalty after the Dutchman's header from a Gerrard corner appeared to strike the arm of Evans. Andre Marriner waved away the protests.

Back came the Reds and Adam's header back into the danger zone from another Gerrard flag kick had to be cleared by Chris Smalling, thwarting the onrushing Martin Skrtel.

Liverpool's pressure finally told however on 68 minutes, when Gerrard broke the deadlock.

Another Charlie Adam run from deep was brought to a halt by Rio Ferdinand on the edge of the box. The Liverpool skipper stepped up to clip a delightful free-kick past De Gea and into the net. The goal was our 1,200th in the Premier League.

Ferguson's response was to send on Rooney, Hernandez and Nani - and two of their substitutes combined to conjure up an equaliser with just minutes remaining.

Nani's corner was allowed to travel dangerously across the box, and Hernandez found the space and the time to nod the ball past Jose Reina and into the roof of the net.

The visitors had the impressive De Gea to thank for ensuring parity remained intact seconds later, as Suarez's deep cross was turned goalwards on the slide by Kuyt, but the stopper made a fine save.

Substitute Jordan Henderson then went close in stoppage time with a lob, but United's goalkeeper clawed it over the crossbar. The resulting corner saw Skrtel lash over from close range.

Henderson threatened again, heading over from Downing's run and cross, but it wasn't to be as Liverpool were forced to settle for a draw.