Rodgers: Gerrard is the Best Holding Midfielder in Europe

Brendan Rodgers has hailed Steven Gerrard as the best holding midfielder in Europe and insisted that he wont change the Liverpool captain in his current role for any player plying across different leagues.

The former Swansea manager rates Gerrard ahead of the likes of Javi Martinez, Fernandinho, Sergio Buquets, Sami Khedira, Xavi Alonso and others and insists that the player has made his presence felt this season with a plethora of strong performances.

The Reds are only four games from winning the league title, currently two points ahead of Chelsea and play the Blues at Anfield next week which can decide the title.

This will be Gerrard's first league title since joining the club and to help his side's cause, Gerrard has moved back into a more defensive role from the attacking midfielder he was once renowned for.

From playing cutting edge passes to making tackles and helping his defence, Gerrard has done everything this season and is a major reason behind his team's success.

"You look at the holding players in European football, players with top teams and top clubs, and I wouldn't swap him for any of them because of what he can give the club," Rodgers said.

"He's a playmaker, unique; his intelligence and reading of the game allows him to orchestrate the game with those playmaking skills from that position.

"But he can also defend; tackle. And what he probably doesn't get enough credit for as well is his reading of the game situations."

"I look at how we can maximise all the players and get the most out of them, and from the first day I came in here, I told him that was the role I envisaged him playing.

"With Steven, he's not just going to take what you say, there has to be a rationale behind it - a reason as to why. He probably needed time - which he did - to go away and think about it, study it and talk it through before he could go out there.

"Steven is not going to come in blind and not want to contribute to team. That was very important for us - the timing. Thankfully it's worked well," he concluded.