AS A LIVERPOOL captain, Steven Gerrard won almost every trophy bar the Premier League and despite urging Jurgen Klopp’s men to end the club’s 29-year wait for the title this season he admits it will not ease his personal pain.
Gerrard, now manager of Scottish giants Rangers, famously slipped to hand Chelsea the opener of a 2-0 win at Anfield in April 2014 with Liverpool on course to win the league.
Liverpool currently trail Manchester City by one point at the top of the table with nine games remaining.
“This wound has been open since my experience. I’m not sure it’ll close because I can’t change that experience,” Gerrard, who left Liverpool after 17 years as a player in 2015, told reporters.
It doesn’t affect how I feel now. I look at a squad of players, some of whom I’m still friends with.
“I see a support that gave me absolutely everything from the terraces and around the world.
I just hope for their sake, and mine as a supporter, that come the end of the competition they are victorious. But it won’t make me or my wound feel any different.”
Klopp’s side have been accused of letting the pressure get to them in recent weeks, having blown the chance to open up a seven-point lead over City just over a month ago by drawing at home to Leicester and have since been held on the road by West Ham, Manchester United and Everton.
“My advice, having been a player in that team and playing for those supporters for so long, would be don’t overthink it. Just enjoy it. Believe in yourselves,” added Gerrard.
“I think it is only normal for the supporters. They want it more than anyone. They will help. The players have to see it as a help rather than a hindrance.
When we were in that situation, I didn’t feel suffocated from the fans. I actually felt they were right behind us and with us and wanted it so much. I saw it as a help rather than a hindrance.”
The 18-time English champions could easily set a club record points tally and still fall short of a relentless City side, that romped to the league with 100 points last season.
And Gerrard insists should that be the case, Liverpool’s season should not be seen as a failure.
“Certain people will see it as failure but that is football and opinions. Jurgen has taken the squad forward giant strides. He’s doing everything he can,” he added.
“Sometimes in football, if someone beats you to it, you have to hold your hands up and say the better team won.
I hope that’s not the case but I don’t think you can be too critical if you have been fantastic yourself and have done ever so well to be in it in the first place.”
Andy Dunne joins Murray Kinsella and Ryan Bailey to discuss Joe Schmidt’s undroppables and how France might attack Ireland’s predictability in The42 Rugby Weekly.
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