A number of Liverpool fans have voiced their agreement with The Athletic journalist James Pearce in relation to former Reds captain Steven Gerrard.
After his colleague Jack Pitt-Brooke described Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne as “Steven Gerrard 2.0” on The Athletic’s ‘Why Always Us?‘ podcast, Pearce voiced his belief (via @JamesPearceLFC on Twitter) that while the Belgian is “a special player”, Liverpool’s ex-captain was “on a different level”, citing how he “almost single-handedly won major finals” and “carried” the team during fallow periods.
De Bruyne is a special player but Gerrard was on a different level. Gerrard carried #LFC for long periods of his 17 years at the top & almost single-handedly won major finals. Unlike De Bruyne, he never had the luxury of being surrounded by world-class talent. https://t.co/HuJlbWBWSV
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) April 29, 2020
De Bruyne has played in a Manchester City side which has won eight major trophies in the last four years, including two Premier League titles with points tallies of 100 and 98, whereas Gerrard played in Liverpool teams that finished as low as seventh and eighth during his 17 years as a first team squad member from 1998 to 2015.
The 39-year-old came up with crucial interventions on big occasions for the Reds, his goal instigating the comeback from 3-0 down to overcome AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final and his stoppage time 35-yard rocket ensuring extra time and a penalty shoot-out in the following year’s FA Cup final, in which Liverpool got the better of West Ham.
These Reds fans on Twitter backed Pearce in his claim that Gerrard was “on a different level” to De Bruyne, given how often he rode to the rescue for the Merseysiders:
Spot on James.
Best Ever LFC player of all time.
— Paul Hughes (@paulrhughes59) April 29, 2020
quite right james and de bruyne has only been at city for a very short time so hes really not that which he is made out to be hes good but no where as good as stevie I will put stevie on the same level as messi they both carried their clubs for years
— helen raybould (@rizz50isles1) April 29, 2020
Gerrard was far better
— R1ch (@noneshall_pass) April 29, 2020
I don’t like de bruynes attitude either, yes you have to have belief in yourself but when it turns to arrogance? No thanks. I only saw a small part of an interview recently but it was enough. Great player but that’s it. Gerrard is the King for me.
— ?Rachel Ellis? (@RleEllis) April 29, 2020
They all need to take a seat when Gerrard is mentioned. pic.twitter.com/X1WmDb9dm1
— Alyas Ali (@AlyasAliK) April 29, 2020
If you put Gerrard in this current man city side he’s getting 20 goals a season in the league without a doubt.
I love de bruyne but if anything Gerrard is de bruyne 2.0.— Eoghan (@dog_ham_egg_ham) April 29, 2020
Think they are similar players but Stevie was much more of a big games and big moments player than De Bruyne. Scored a goal in every club final possible.
— Paul (@OxtonSoulBoy) April 29, 2020
— John Matrix (@LesF80) April 29, 2020
Liverpool fans, do you think that Gerrard was a superior player to anything De Bruyne has shown so far? Join in the discussion by commenting below!
