STEVEN GERRARD will take the compliment. But the Rangers boss won’t read too much into the comparison between his side and Liverpool.
Former Celtic and Scotland manager Gordon Strachan claimed last month that there were similarities between the way Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp set up their teams.
Just days later, the Gers scored a goal Klopp would surely have admired as a free-flowing move ended with Borna Barisic providing the ball for Ryan Kent that set Gerrard’s side on their way to victory over Celtic.
The same kind of attack had almost paid dividends at Easter Road the previous week and was symptomatic of the way in which Gerrard plays the game.
But the Anfield legend knows his side are a completely different outfit to the one which he hopes will soon be Premier League champions.
“The players in the team have to take the credit for that,” Gerrard said of the intricate and attacking phase at Parkhead.
“You’ve got a left-back who is in incredible form and who is showing why he’s the Croatian left-back and he’s getting into those areas and delivering.
“To show that composure to find Ryan... we are trying to get Ryan closer to goal to get more numbers in his game, but across the board it was a fantastic team goal.
“I’m sure come the end of the season when the accolades are given out that will certainly be in the top three and will definitely be in my top three, whatever happens between now and the end of the season because to go from one end of the pitch and show that quality in the final third, in that arena... it was a fantastic goal.
“Listen, I’m not going to sit here and pretend to be anywhere near that man or that team, which is the best in the world right now.
“There are certain aspects of us tactically and in the way we set up that, of course, I learned from being part of Liverpool but we’ve got nothing but admiration for the Liverpool team and manager right now.
“They’re obviously operating on a completely different level to most right now, but we do play with attacking full backs, which is similar, and a front three, so there are a few similarities, I know where you are coming from.
“But in no way, shape or form can we start thinking we’re Liverpool individually or collectively. But there are little similarities in the shape of the team. Listening to my players, they have nothing but admiration for Liverpool.”
While Klopp seems destined to lead Liverpool to their long-awaited title success, the chances of Gerrard doing likewise with Rangers are far less certain this season.
The Light Blues moved to within two points of Celtic with their Old Firm win before Gerrard took his side to Dubai for the winter break.
The focus has been on moving players on rather than bringing them in thus far and Gerrard is confident his squad will be in the right shape for a title shot.
He said: “I will be respectful but I won’t leave myself short. I think my job is to protect the club because we have a lot of football coming up.
“We have already played 37 games. But having said that, the squad is too big and we can afford to let two or three move out.
“If that gets to three or four then that’s when maybe I might have to bring someone in.”
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