Boss on SG's future, farewell and Palace

Brendan, there's a fair amount of emotion and sentiment surrounding this game. How much does that come into your thinking and does it mean Steven Gerrard will start?

Steven has obviously been starting a lot in the last three years I've been here, so there's a fair good chance he'll play.

How much does the sentiment come into it for you on such an occasion?

We're at the stage of the season where we're still looking to win games. The wheels aren't out, landed and on holiday at all. Steven has been a big part of what I've done since I've been here and he'll obviously play his final game at Anfield tomorrow.

There have been talks that there has already been some kind of conversation between the club and Steven about him returning in some capacity in the future - maybe a coaching role or similar. How far along would you say those talks are, if indeed they have taken place, and how suited to such a role would he be?

It's certainly something I've addressed with him a number of times. Steven leaving here isn't permanent, certainly as long as I'm here. I've brought former players back to the club to work in different capacities. With Steven, he's one I felt when his time was over here as a player, whatever happened after that, he would certainly be someone I'd love to have work [here]. Once you finish as a player, it's a different ball game when you work into coaching and management - it's a different idea to what he's been used to over the last 20-odd years. That opportunity for him to come back will always be there as long as I'm here. If coaching is the route he wants to go down when he finishes in America, then that's certainly something we will discuss in more detail. At this moment in time, he still very much wants to play every minute of every game and works hard during the week. Because of our relationship, we'll be in contact when he does leave and that will maybe open a door for the coming years.

Would you  consider bringing him back on loan? There have been a lot of players who've come back from the MLS in their off-season on loan. Is that something you'd look at in the future?

We haven't spoken about it. It's something that we'll see how it pans out, really. Steven has always made it clear in our talks, in whatever capacity he can help the club, it's something he'll look to do. If we feel that can be from a playing perspective, than that's maybe something we can look at another time. Our focus, and when I've spoken to him, has been about finishing this season as strong as we can. His standards are such that he never has a lazy day, he's never wandering too much from his mind other than thinking about winning games and performing every single day in training. The loan is something that is maybe a possibility later down the line, but it's way too early to look at that now.

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How much of a hole is he going to leave here? Can you even sum that up?

Huge. I'll miss him because if you look from when I came in here, he played about 46 games for me in the first season I was here, 39 last year and up until now [this season] he's made 39 appearances. In that record alone, you see the value and importance I put on him as a footballer. But I'll miss him as a man because we've got what I would consider a strong relationship, both in terms of both of interests being purely and devotedly for Liverpool. We want the club to succeed. Over the course of time, he has shown he is one of the very few genuine world-class players that are around the game. I've always admired him as a footballer from the outside, but getting to know him as the person I do over the last three seasons, he will be a miss. Our relationship is strong, we communicate well and he is someone I have big admiration and respect for. Not having him here will be a hole and a miss. I've said it before, he is irreplaceable in terms of what he is, but you have to keep moving forward as a club and a team. He will be missed.

Clearly there is so much sentiment around this game, so how hard have you had to work this week to ensure the players don't let that get the better of them in this match? As you said, you still want to win the game...

It's been fairly easy, in all fairness. The attitude in training of all the players, and Steven in particular, has been first class. His standards are such - and why he's such a joy to work with - that no matter what the occasion, no matter what the focus is, he is very much concentrated on training hard every day and sets the lead for the rest of the players. He's at the front of the training group every single day from the warm-up. He gives his maximum and does his best in every single session - and that drip-feeds through to the other players. In terms of trying to control emotion, it's been fairly simple.

He spoke yesterday about apologising to his teammates. He spoke about all the attention and focus that's been on him, but looking at things that have been on social media, there seems to have been a really good mood in training this week...

The environment we have here is a very positive one. It's about learning, so every day we see it as a chance to learn - and Steven is no different. He is someone that wants to learn and wants to be better. He knows that's through training and training hard, that will happen. The mood has been very good, we're very focused on Crystal Palace. We respect and understand the nature of the game and the occasion, as I am sure will Crystal Palace, but we're concentrating on winning the game. I know Steven in his last game would want to go out with a win.

How will Steven's departure be handled in the dressing room pre-match? Will anything different be done?

There'll be nothing different in terms of our preparation. Of course, there's an awareness of the occasion and respects paid to that. But Steven is a guy that doesn't like the focus and the attention. It's brought on him because of his star quality and how good of a player he is. If you think he's a good player, he's an even better human being. That will always draw the attention to him. He is one that is very much focused and concentrated and he is one that more than anyone, will want to win the game for the team. The pre-match preparation will be the same - we'll have another meeting a little bit later on and be very focused on the game. Then we'll look to go out and perform - and perform well.

Perhaps the slightly forgotten people in all of this are Crystal Palace. Just a quick word on them and the work Alan Pardew has done there...

They're not forgotten by myself because they're a very, very good side, particularly away from home. We'll be prepared well for the qualities they have. They are very good on the counter-attack, with some very good players. I think Alan has brought in a real offensive side to their game. He's done exceptionally well since he's gone in there, but it's not a surprise to me because he did exceptionally well at Newcastle United. Sometimes it's only when people leave that you can really analyse and see the job they did. I thought he did an incredible job - if you think, he took them to fifth in the league with the resources and everything he was working with. He obviously decided to move back to London - he's a London man and Crystal Palace is his club. I think he's gone in there and revitalised them, made them more aggressive in attack, maximised what he's getting out of the players and has done a wonderful job. We're well aware of the threat and we know it'll be a tough game.

Any squad news?

Nothing new, no.

You've spoken before about improving players, but does it work the other way as well and have you learnt from Steven?

I learn from everyone. If you're clever enough, you learn from everyone, but certainly when you're working with someone who is a world-class player, you can see very clearly why he's reached the levels he has. There's no doubt, if you work with him and some of the other players of that nature, you'll always pick things up off them. Our relationship has always been strong, we communicate well and hopefully we will have learnt off each other. If you have that synchronisation in your work, then it bodes well for everyone.