Steven Gerrard accuses Liverpool of making huge transfer mistake on live TV as fans agree

Liverpool made a mistake by selling Neco Williams to Nottingham Forest, according to Steven Gerrard, who was reunited with the defender during a powerful touchline interview on TNT Sports.

Williams returned to Anfield on Saturday, four years after leaving his boyhood club to join Nottingham Forest for £17 million.

The 25-year-old, who joined the Liverpool academy aged six, struggled to break into the club's first-team before his departure in the summer of 2022. In total, he made 33 appearances for the Reds.

Williams has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular at Forest. In fact, after a superb campaign across 2025-26, Tottenham are exploring a move for the full-back ahead of Tuesday's deadline.

Ahead of kick-off on Saturday, Williams took part in media duties for TNT Sports alongside Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who coached the defender at academy level.

Gerrard was asked if he recognised Williams' talent at the time. "I did actually, and I told him. I told his parents they had an incredible talent and an incredible human being," said Gerrard.

"He's an example to any young boy chasing a dream. He wanted it to be here at Liverpool initially but he got the setback that he had to move."

Gerrard added: "What he's done is grabbed that opportunity with both hands. He's grown, he's evolved and he's arguably one of the best full-backs in the league in my opinion."

Not for the first time, Williams spoke glowingly about Gerrard's influence on his career, but the former midfielder was keen to make a point and interrupted Williams mid-sentence.

The 46-year-old said: "I don't want to cut him off but this is a player that trains how he plays. He comes in of a morning, he does everything right, he's very professional. He's a winner, very aggressive, he's a competitor and we already know he has got the talent.

"If you put everything around your talent, you can play at this level and you can stay at this level. I still think he hasn't reached his ceiling yet. I think he's at an age where he can go to the next level with experience and more time and more games.

"He's playing out of position, doing an incredible job on the left side. Can you imagine what he'd be like on the right side? For me, he's a fantastic full-back.

"I'm not just saying it, and I apologise to the Forest fans, but Liverpool should have kept him."

Fans were quick to agree with Gerrard's comment, with one saying: "Thank you Stevie. A little bit of honesty was needed here."

A second wrote: "Agree 100% with Steven Gerrard. Out of all the Premier League full-backs I’ve done opposition analysis on in the last two years. Reece James, Jurrien Timber, Mazraoui and Williams are the only ones who defend to a high level consistently that I’ve seen."

A third commented: "He’s bang on. Frimpong and Kerkez aren’t even good enough to lace Neco’s boots," and a fourth added: "Gerrard's not wrong. Liverpool's fullback depth has looked shaky at times and Williams has genuinely improved since leaving."