Alex Ferguson on Steven Gerrard

“He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but Gerrard does more.”

“‘He is physically and technically precocious. He’s got a good engine and remarkable energy. He reads the game and he passes quickly. I would hate to think Liverpool have someone as good as Roy Keane."”

“"If you were looking for the player you would replace Keane with, it's Gerrard, without question. He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but I think that Gerrard does more for his team than Vieira does. To me, Gerrard is Keane; he is now where Keane was when Roy came to us in 1994. I've watched him quite a lot, and everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there. He's got that unbelievable engine, desire, determination. Anyone would love to have Gerrard in their team. Vieira has done that job for Arsenal for two or three years. But you can see Gerrard rising and rising."”