Liverpool's skipper may be one of the Premier League's best-paid players - in fact, number five on the list of the top earners if Forbes business magazine is to be believed - but his importance to the club is almost beyond price.

Fresh from salvation duty with England last week, Gerrard inspired Liverpool to an awesome one-sided away victory over PSV Eindhoven to all-but seal a semi-final place for the Reds.

It may have been an off-day for the Dutchmen but Liverpool are shifting into ominous form, as Arsenal found out to their cost at the weekend.

It should certainly be food for thought for Jose Mourinho as Chelsea prepare for their quarter-final against Valencia.

Another torrid semi-final between the Premier League sides is on the cards, and on this evidence only a Blues fan (Everton or Chelsea that is) would bet against them reaching the final in Athens.

This was not one of those matches where Gerrard had to grab it by the scruff of the neck, as he did in the Champions League final two years ago, the FA Cup final last year, or against Andorra last week.

Nevertheless once again Gerrard made the all-important difference in Eindhoven.

The one black moment for Liverpool was when full-back Fabio Aurelio was carried off in the second half with what was believed to be ruptured Achilles after collapsing clutching his leg.

Steven Gerrard headed the first goal, John Arne Riise blasted the second and Peter Crouch headed a third as Liverpool outplayed their hosts at the Philips Stadium.

Crouch's hat-trick heroics at the weekend against Arsenal won him a place in Liverpool's starting line-up.

Benitez also restored Steve Finnan and Riise to the side, the pair being rested against the Gunners.

Aurelio kept the left-back slot and Javier Mascherano played his first Champions League game for the club.

PSV were without key defender Alex, out with a hamstring injury, and striker Arouna Kone with a groin problem. But goalkeeper Gomes and Mexican defender Carlos Salcido were both in the side having made successful comebacks from injury at the weekend against Breda.

PSV started seemingly with the intent to attack, with Mika Vayrynen blasting just over from 20 yards after two minutes.

But very soon the Dutch league leaders settled into a defensive unit, veteran Phillip Cocu patrolling in front of a back four and Vayrynen operating as a deep striker, a ploy that left Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger with no-one to mark for long spells.

It was a tactic Koeman used against Arsenal to good effect and it also meant his side could flood back into their own half whenever Liverpool won possession.

But from Liverpool's first corner they almost scored. Gerrard fired the ball in from the left and Carragher - playing his 50th Champions League game - met it 10 yards out with a firm header that Gomes somehow managed to palm around a post at full stretch.

There was little room for Crouch or Dirk Kuyt to work in with defenders very tight, although Crouch did find space for a 25-yarder that curled harmlessly over the bar.

PSV used the flanks when they did break and on 23 minutes a cross from Jason Culina cleared the far post when Eindhoven had a man over, and only a last-ditch block from Finnan deflected a drive from Cocu over.

But the first time Liverpool put a move of pace together, they scored. Mascherano found Finnan overlapping on the right and when his pulled-back cross arrived in the box, so did Gerrard to send a low header past Gomes.

That was his 15th European Cup goal for Liverpool, a new club record, overtaking Ian Rush's 14 strikes.

Mascherano was booked on 38 minutes when he chased Diego Tardelli and brought him down from behind.

Liverpool looked intent on increasing their lead quickly after the break and Xabi Alonso sent one effort over and they wasted a break involving Gerrard when they out-numbered PSV's defenders.

But on 48 minutes Riise scored a sensational goal. A poor clearance fell to the Norwegian 30 yards out, and he took one stride before unleashing a thunderous drive that crashed past a startled Gomes.

PSV responded two minutes later by sending on striker Patrick Kluivert in place of midfielder Edison Mendez to give them more strength up front.

Then Gomes flapped at a Kuyt cross and Riise almost capitalised, but the keeper's error surprised even the Liverpool man.

Alonso then attempted a cheeky 40-yard chip over Gomes, who had strayed from his line, but the ball dropped over the bar.

PSV were rattled and Liverpool started finding space for Gerrard's runs and the movement of Kuyt.

And the third soon followed. Another Finnan overlap on 62 minutes produced a cross that saw Crouch jump high above his marker to head powerfully into the top corner.

Kluivert was then booked for a late tackle on Mascherano and Liverpool withdrew Riise on 65 minutes, sending on Bolo Zenden. PSV then took off former Liverpool man Jan Kromkamp, sending on Csaba Feher, but Koeman's shuffling was not creating any real problem for Liverpool.

Liverpool then lost Aurelio after going down without anyone near him. Mark Gonzalez came on after 74 minutes.

The stadium was almost in stony silence by now, with only the few thousand Liverpool fans high in the rafters roaring out their songs of triumph.

Jermaine Pennant took over from Crouch on 84 minutes, the game well won by this point, even though Kuyt managed to get himself booked in injury time for refusing to retreat from a free-kick. He will now be suspended for the second but will be free for the semi-final if Liverpool finish the job.

With Liverpool 3-0 up, Gerrard could have been forgiven for sitting back and looking forward to an easy return leg.

That is not the nature of the man, though, and he was still driving forward into injury-time, robbing Vayrynen with power and athleticism before setting up a move that ended with Gonzalez firing just over the crossbar.

With $200million at his disposal and the transfer market still recovering from the last slump, Benitez will be able to afford just about any player he wants.

What he cannot do is afford to lose his captain.

Afer the game, Gerrard refused to look beyond the return leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.

"I don't think we'll worry about that at the moment," he said. "We need to finish it off, there are still 90 minutes to play and [we will] worry about that [the semi-final] once we are there. We need to be professional."

Team-mate Crouch admitted the scoreline was better than he imagined before the game, saying: "We came to not concede and get an away goal so it's even better. To score three goals away in Europe is always good.

"I don't know if it is about the rotation system but all the lads looked fresh out there tonight.

"It was great result away from home."