Brendan: Steven has the 'X factor'
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has hailed Steven Gerrard for having the 'X factor' as Liverpool prepare to honour the Anfield legend with a testimonial tie against Olympiacos on Saturday.
Ahead of a sell-out fixture to celebrate the Kop talisman's stunning 15 years in a Red shirt, the Northern Irishman paid tribute to Gerrard by describing the midfield general as one of the greatest on and off the pitch.
As with all of the club's summer pre-season fixtures, the match, which kicks off at 12.45pm BST, will be available to watch live on this website for LFC TV Online subscribers.
Rodgers declared: "I think it's going to be a great occasion first and foremost for Steven, someone who has devoted his whole life to the football club, and a great chance for the supporters to pay homage to him.
"So I think it will be a real joyous day to celebrate such a great, great player of not just Liverpool but the modern game, and obviously it's another chance for us in our pre-season preparation. So it's a game that we're all looking forward to.
"I think that for so many years he's been such a great player and I think it's the definition between the good players and the great players - they make other players around them better.
"The big players score the key goals in the key games and they produce the big performances in the big games, and if that defines a great player then Steven is everything in that - a wonderful player, one of the greatest midfield players and arguably the greatest of the Premier League years.
"I've watched players come through over many years, and Steven for his club and his country has really picked them up on many occasions, put them on his shoulders, and you could see that from a coaching perspective how an immense talent, a real natural talent he had.
"Having the chance to come in and work with him I've been very fortunate to not only see the footballing talent, see how he prepares himself for his games and his work, to see the leadership he provides in terms of respect he has for the manager and the manager's decisions.
"I think probably what doesn't get mentioned so much is the absolute true gentleman he is. You only needed to be on our tour of Asia and you see he has so much time for people and it's always a mark of the best of what people do whether it's in sport, business or in life. They are normally the best people and he typifies that.
"An incredible talent, everyone sees that on a week-to-week basis. I'm very fortunate I get to see it on a day-to-day basis, but what a true gentleman he is."
Looking back on the skipper's illustrious Anfield spell so far, Rodgers argued that there are numerous key moments in Gerrard's career but insisted that two really stick in his mind.
The 40-year-old added: "There's a whole host of moments but there's probably two that are really apparent for me.
"I suppose the FA Cup final when it looked like West Ham were going to win it and in the dying moments of the game to produce the technique and the strike that he did to get Liverpool back in the game, which was absolutely incredible. That was one where it looked like the underdog was going to win that day.
"It again showed the talent that he is by coming up and scoring an absolutely phenomenal goal, so that was one that really stuck in my mind.
"I suppose the greatest one would be the Champions League final. At 3-0 down it really took something to go and inspire the team and on that night he was a real skipper.
"He got the goal that changed the momentum in the game and then drove the team on and just that quality, his drive, his determination and spirit along with the other players, really lifted it - and to then go on and win the trophy at the end of it was amazing.
"I would say they would be the two main ones in my mind. He has produced many glorious moments in his years here.
"You can see when Steven trains, that because of the demand he puts on himself that drives other people on, and because of his desire and determination that lifts other people.
"I look at Steven now and at 33 years of age his hunger and determination is very much there. He's still hungry to win, he wants to win trophies, he wants the club to be the very best it can possibly be.
"I think it's hard to describe in one word or one moment but he's got the 'X factor' for me. As a player and as a person there are too many things to just nail on one which is his strength. He's a wonderful man and a great player."
Gerrard's immense impact at Liverpool has also prompted the Northern Irishman to pay the Reds icon an emphatic compliment by suggesting that he's arguably the greatest to have ever graced the Anfield turf.
Rodgers concluded: "It's difficult for me to say who is the greatest because I've been here a year and there are probably more people better qualified than me, but I'm not sure there's anyone better than Steven Gerrard. That would be the highest praise I can give him.
"His achievements on Saturday will hopefully be well rewarded by the crowd and I'm sure he will get a hell of a response by everyone. He thoroughly deserves it because I'm not sure there's any man who will deserve a testimonial game more than Steven Gerrard."
To mark the Liverpool captain's testimonial this weekend, the Steven Gerrard Foundation is auctioning 630 commemorative LFC shirts to raise money for charity. Click here to find out more.