Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Michael Owen makes big claim to reopen classic Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United fan debate

Who was the better central midfielder out of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes?

It's a debate which has been had by Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United supporters for many years and Michael Owen, who played with all three during his career, has made his choice.

Whilst praising the trio, the ex-England international says Gerrard was "on a different level".

"If you watch Scholesy in training, your tongue is hanging out," Owen told Jamie Carragher on The Greatest Game podcast.

"He can give you the eyes, you can think he’s heading it that way and he’ll almost do a reverse spinner off the other side of his head. He can drop a ball on a six pence.

"He is just total and utter genius.

"Frank Lampard, who can question his goalscoring and how he got every ounce out of out of his ability?

"But to me, Stevie’s on a different level than anything I've seen or played with and as you've said, I’m not blowing smoke up my a***.

"I've played with some great Man United players, Liverpool players, Real Madrid, England.

"Put it this way: if I’m saying tomorrow rewind the clock, you’re going into battle now, you’re playing in the Champions League final, who’s your first pick?

"I'd have Steven Gerrard as my first pick out of everyone."

All three aforementioned players have long hung up their boots and moved into management.

Scholes had a short stint as Oldham Athletic boss last season - winning just one of his seven games in charge - while Gerrard is into his second season at Rangers.

Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge as head coach last summer after almost guiding Derby County to the Premier League last season and currently has the Blues sitting in the top-four and in the last-16 of the Champions League.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.