Ex-Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will be thankful VAR wasn’t around during the early years of his career.
While the Reds captain was known more for his impressive performances on the pitch for Liverpool, he did not half love a tackle. However, on one occasion during the Merseyside derby back in 2002, he launched himself two footed into Everton’s Gary Naysmith.
The ugly challenge sparked a mass brawl at Anfield, with a host of players going into referee Graham Poll’s book. While Gerrard escaped without a caution, he was later suspended for three games by the FA. However, Naysmith, who turns 46 this week, has previously spoken about he bears no ill-will towards Gerrard, who he even nearly ended up sitting next to on a flight to Portugal.
Speaking to Open Goal back in 2019, the ex-Everton defender explained what happened after the tackle – and how a flight to Portugal nearly saw the pair meet again. “You know, that was unbelievable,” Naysmith said.
“Listen, it was a bad tackle and he got done for it afterwards, but he never hurt me or that. But it actually sparked a big brawl and the best thing about it, for me, was that all my teammates and everybody went and stuck up for me – we had a bit of team spirit.
(Image: Sky Sports)
“Steven got done for three games and he apologised. Listen, these things happen in football and he’s still the best player in England that I played against.
“The reason I say that is, there were other people maybe on an equal at Man United or Chelsea, but he was one of Liverpool’s, in my opinion, very few world class players. So he was the driving force of that team.
“Even though we had a few run-ins, I can still be big enough to say he was the best player. That one where he hit me, me and my wife were flying out to Portugal. There was a spare seat, me and my wife. I wondered who we were waiting on, I looked up and it was him. He was due to sit in the seat next to me! We acknowledged each other and I think his mate swapped.
“But these things happen in football. There’s been a few times I’ve smashed somebody and had to go and apologise for it.”