It’s hard to deny that, even despite never winning the title, Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
The Liverpool icon was a complete midfielder and it was only his loyalty to the Reds that preventing him from winning a Premier League winners’ medal.
It’s hard to imagine that he wouldn’t have done so had he agreed to join Chelsea when Jose Mourinho came calling in the mid-2000s.
But nevertheless, he still guided Liverpool to Champions League glory, and his list of individual accolades is very impressive.
The all-action midfielder made the PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year on eight separate occasions. He also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2001 and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2006.
One of Gerrard’s best traits was his ability to produce when it mattered and to inspire those around him.
Ferguson: Gerrard was not a 'top, top player'
Yet Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t hold Gerrard in such high esteem, writing in his 2013 autobiography: “I’m one of the few who felt Gerrard was not a top, top player.”
Gerrard was asked what he made of Ferguson’s comments during an appearance on the Claire Balding Show, and his response was impressive.
“I went on trial at Manchester United when I was 13 and had a letter off them wanting to sign me on a seven-year-deal," he told the BT Sport presenter.
"I’m a huge fan of Alex Ferguson and what he’s done in the game is fantastic, that’s the reason why he’s sold that many copies in the first week. I was genuinely a little bit gutted when I read that, the reaction of the papers, when he said I’m not a top, top player. But I won’t lose sleep over it, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
"He tried to sign me in early 2002/03, he tried to sign me again to play for United, I obviously refused, so I can’t really take it to heart too much. But I’m a bit gutted because I’m a big fan of his."
A very honest response from Gerrard.
Perhaps Ferguson was just bitter that Gerrard rejected his advances at the start of the century.