MX23RW : Thursday, April 18 14:38:54| >> :120:4116:4116:

Steven Gerrard: 'Rafael Benitez's team was the best I played in'

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard claims that Rafael Benitez's team of the 2008-09 season was the finest squad that he played in during his 17 years at Anfield.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that the 2008-09 squad under Rafael Benitez was the best that he was a part of during his 17 years at Anfield.

The long-serving skipper, who marked his final appearance at home with a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday, will call time on a decorated career with the Reds next week away to Stoke City.

The 34-year-old reserved a mention for the team that finished runners up last season, but the former England captain thinks that Benitez's team was the finest that he played in.

He told BBC Sport: "The team that was very close to winning the title was a very good team, but I think a lot of that was down to the form of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge and [Philippe] Coutinho. We had a really good go, but we weren't in Europe, so we could push and that was a strong team.

"But maybe when Fernando Torres was here and we had [Javier] Mascherano and [Xabi] Alonso, and Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia and a lot of good players around that spine.

"I think that's the best team I've played in."

Meanwhile, Sturridge has declared his outgoing teammate as the best player in Liverpool's history.

ID:223343: cacheID:223343:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2728:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Steven Gerrard is substituted during Liverpool's game at Chelsea on May 10, 2015
Read Next:
Gerrard: 'Liverpool need a striker'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
2Arsenal32225575264971
3Liverpool32218372314171
4Aston Villa33196868491963
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle321551269521750
7Manchester UnitedMan Utd32155124748-150
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham33139115258-648
9Chelsea31138106152947
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves32127134651-543
12Fulham33126154951-242
13Bournemouth32119124757-1042
14Crystal Palace3289153754-1733
15Brentford3388174758-1132
16Everton3298153248-1627
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3379174258-1626
18Luton TownLuton3367204670-2425
19Burnley3348213368-3520
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3237223084-5416


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!