On that day Liverpool led 1-0 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium after an early goal from John Arne Riise, but Gerrard's own goal in the 79th minute – when he headed a Paulo Ferreira free-kick into his own net – saw the match head into extra time.

Jose Mourinho's Chelsea side eventually won 3-2, and as Gerrard prepares for Liverpool's first trip to Wembley since 1996 to play Cardiff in Sunday's Carling Cup final, he said that moment was one of the lowest in his career.

"It was a nightmare. I felt suicidal," Gerrard told The Daily Telegraph.

"It was bad, one of the worst days I have had, especially against Chelsea. I was linked with them for a while before that cup final."

"Then to go and score an own goal – there were Liverpool fans who probably thought I meant it at the time – and to get the defeat was a nightmare too, for me and the team."

Gerrard has also experienced incredible highs as a Liverpool player – just three months after that defeat to Chelsea he led them to an incredible comeback in the Champions League final against AC Milan.

Trailing 3-0 at half-time, the Anfield club came back to level the final at 3-3 before winning 3-2 on penalties.

But he 2006 FA Cup represents Liverpool's last piece of silverware; they went down the following year to a Filippo Inzaghi-inspired AC Milan in the Champions League final and the glory days of the club now seem a distant memory.

"There were days when you wondered will I ever get to a major cup final or will I experience more success as a Liverpool player?" Gerrard said.

"Going back to the time under (previous owners) George Gillett and Tom Hicks, you suffer a defeat at Anfield and then go out to do a warm down, and there are thousands singing and shouting to get the owners out. Not good. Now the atmosphere is completely different."

"The experience and hurt from the lows helps you to get to places like this final, and to have good memories."

"When you win a trophy you don't imagine it will be your last for six years, do you?"

"You hope you're involved in cup finals straight after, which we were in the 2007 Champions League, but that never went according to plan. It shows how difficult it is to win a major trophy."