Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has offered his full support to skipper Steven Gerrard as the 31-year old returns to full fitness ahead of Manchester United’s visit on Saturday.
Gerrard has not started a game for the Reds since March, when United last visited Anfield, with many feeling that the midfielder has passed his use-by date.
Recently, Gerrard insisted that he was defiant in the face of scrutiny and claiming that he is now fitter than he has ever been, the Liverpool captain vowed to deliver.
His manager has now verified that sentiment, making it clear that Gerrard remains a part of the club’s long-term plans.
“Steven has been fantastic for the club and everybody would want him to go on for as long as he could because he has always been a fabulous asset,” Dalglish was quoted on LiverpoolFC.tv.
The gaffer added: “Steven has made a huge contribution to this club and he isn’t going to change. He’s probably fitter now than he was before. He’s not in a Zimmer! When he plays, you’ll still see him charging forward. He did that against Wolves the other week when he came on.”
With England’s current generation of superstars all entering their thirties, Gerrard is not the only one whose status as a regular contributor has gone under the microscope.
Fellow England internationals Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, and John Terry have all been reminded that they must continue to fight for a place in both the domestic and international set-ups.
However, neither of those players have been bothered by the doubters and in fact, Lampard’s recent performances for the Blues suggest that he remains just as dangerous as he was a few years ago.
Dalglish has joined the initiative to ignore age as a major factor in selecting his players, especially when they are performing at a high level.
“Both Steven and Carra (vice-captain Jamie Carragher) are people who everybody else can look up to. Anybody who is an asset to the football club I am sure we will look forward to keeping. For me, you judge a player on what they are doing on the pitch. It doesn’t matter what their age is,” Kenny concluded.
With a win over the reigning champions at Merseyside this weekend, the Reds will only be trailing their bitter rivals by three points as the first quarter of the Premier League season approaches its end.
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