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Liverpool Legend Steven Gerrard's Response To Sir Alex Ferguson Claiming He Wasn't 'A Top, Top Player'

Liverpool Legend Steven Gerrard's Response To Sir Alex Ferguson Claiming He Wasn't 'A Top, Top Player'

Ferguson downplayed Gerrard's ability as a player in his 2013 book...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Steven Gerrard had a very honest response to Sir Alex Ferguson not rating him as highly as many others did.

In his 2013 autobiography, Fergie wrote: "I'm one of the few who felt Gerrard was not a top, top player."

The Liverpool legend was asked about those surprising comments during an appearance on The Clare Balding Show a few years back and admitted he was "a little but gutted" but "won't sleep lose over it".

Image: PA
Image: PA

He also revealed that he once had a trial as a youngster and Fergie later made an attempt to bring him to Manchester United when he was a first-teamer.

"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," Gerrard said on the BT Sport show.

"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."

There's another interesting tidbit about the current Liverpool captain in Fergie's book. He explains that United passed up on the chance to sign Jordan Henderson because of his running style.

"We looked at Jordan Henderson a lot, and Steve Bruce was unfailingly enthusiastic about him," Ferguson wrote in his autobiography via Mirror.

"But we noticed that Henderson runs from his knees, with a straight back.

"The modern footballer runs from his hips, and we thought this gait might cause him problems later in his career," the legendary gaffer added.

Henderson, who has since won the Champions League and Premier League, had a classy response though and actually saw it as a compliment.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2014: "If you read what was said, he and Steve Bruce were talking and Steve was speaking very highly of me at the time.

"And Sir Alex decided against a move because of my running style. I think I must have been doing something right for him to be watching me so closely!"

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football News, Football, Sir Alex Ferguson, Steven Gerrard