The midfielder exploded into life and lifted the Reds from their slumber with a stunning strike midway through the second half and he then sunk Middlesbrough by drilling home a penalty.
The win means Rafael Benitez's team leapfrog Arsenal in the race for the third of four Champions League spots.
Liverpool started sluggishly and failed to fashion any meaningful shots on goal in the opening period.
A few wayward John Arne Riise thunderbolts were all the Champions League semi-finalists could muster as bullish Boro muscled and harried.
Benitez's men eventually sprung to life in the 27th minute when Jermaine Pennant cut in from the left and fired a cross into the path of the advancing Momo Sissoko, who fizzed a shot wide of Mark Schwarzer's near post.
But Liverpool, so lethal at Anfield this season, were sloppy in misplacing passes and allowing Boro to close them down too easily.
Aside from the impressive Javier Mascherano, Liverpool were simply not at the races. Even influential skipper Gerrard seemed to have one eye on the looming European clash with Chelsea.
In fact it was the visitors who should have stolen the lead when Fabio Rochemback picked up Jamie Carragher's misplaced pass, but he misfired his first-time shot.
Liverpool were quicker out of the blocks in the second half and should have led when Boudewijn Zenden's pinpoint corner found Mascherano, but his header hit the top of the bar.
Benitez replaced the disappointing Sissoko with Dutchman Dirk Kuyt and Liverpool started to boss the game, with Gerrard beginning to threaten through the middle.
And it was the England star who opened the scoring five minutes later, his bullet 25-yard shot flying past the diving Schwarzer into the bottom corner.
But he wasn't finished there. The Reds won a penalty when Peter Crouch was pulled back in the box on 63 minutes and the midfield maestro stepped up to make it 2-0.