Steven Gerrard demands Liverpool consistency after win over Everton

Steven Gerrard wants Liverpool to use Tuesday's 3-0 win over Everton to spark a winning run and end the inconsistency that has plagued their season.

Gerrard's hat-trick gave the Reds a deserved victory in the Merseyside derby and avoid a fourth straight Premier League defeat.

"It has been frustrating, the inconsistency we've been showing in the league, very frustrating," he said.

"We need to find a level of consistency where we go on a winning streak."

Liverpool had lost to Manchester United, Arsenal and Sunderland in their previous three league matches.

Those results left them in seventh place and faced with being overtaken by Everton if they were beaten by the Toffees.

But Gerrard, 31, marked his 400th Premier League game - and his first league start since 11 February - with a match-winning display.

He opened the scoring with a lofted finish, doubled the lead with a powerful strike and sealed the win by sweeping home from a Luis Suarez pass.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish admitted he did not have the words to adequately describe the qualities of Gerrard after this magnificent performance.

"I am not educated enough to add to what anybody else is saying about Steven," stated the Scot.

"He has been fantastic for this football club. For a guy who left school at 15, my vocabulary is not that great.

"There is no way I could extol the virtues of Steven Gerrard and do him justice.

"He was fantastic tonight, but I think the three other local lads we had were as well. They didn't do too badly.

"He is the first to say he wouldn't have been there with three goals without the help of the others."

It was only the Liverpool's fifth league win at Anfield this season and moves them to within two points of sixth-place Newcastle.

"I think it was a fantastic performance - the result reflected the performance," Dalglish added.

"For us, we are delighted we have at last got reward for a great performance here.

"It is one of the many we have had here, but we got reward for the effort we put in.

"It is always nice when you play really well and win. Sometimes it is even better when you are rubbish and you still get three points but that hasn't happened to us too many times this season.

"It is a good reward for the players. It is great they maintained the belief in themselves and the philosophies we have got and the way they have been playing."

Both sides are back in action in the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend, with Liverpool hosting Stoke and Sunderland visiting Everton.

Everton boss David Moyes made six changes to his starting line-up but was coy when asked whether the schedule had affected his selection.

The defeat means Moyes, who celebrates 10 years in charge at Goodison Park on Wednesday, remains without a win at Anfield.

"I am hurt because I am the Everton manager and I have lost to my rivals, Liverpool," he said.

"I am the same all the time. We will get on with the next game. It doesn't make any difference. It is not about me, it is about the Everton players.

"We led to our own downfall, but after you give it away you still have to score and Liverpool did that."