'I played with Robin van Persie and Edgar Davids - Steven Gerrard was clearly better than both'

It’s no mean feat to be considered a club’s greatest player – even more so when it’s at a club like Liverpool.

The Reds have boasted some of the biggest names to have graced English football – Ian Rush, Graeme Souness and Sir Kenny Dalglish were among the greats during the club’s period of dominance in the 1970s and 80s, while the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah can claim to have joined their ranks in modern times.

There is one player though that fans and former players alike almost universally agree on being the club’s greatest ever – Steven Gerrard. The former captain didn’t have the good fortune to play in great sides like the aforementioned names, and yet he still stood out as arguably the finest ever player to be produced at Anfield.

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Such was his impact that even players who only spent a brief time at Liverpool remember him in the highest regard. Ryan Babel, who spent four years at Anfield between 2007 and 2011, is among his biggest admirers.

The former Netherlands international had the pleasure of playing alongside the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Fernando Torres, Jaap Stam, Robin van Persie and Edgar Davids and Van Dijk during his career, but he’s in no doubt as to who his greatest teammate was.

“It's not a secret. I've always said and put Steven Gerrard at number one,” Babel told Instant Casino.

“Steven Gerrard was for me the ultimate, the best player I've personally played with. I was fortunate to experience him in his prime. It was incredible to see how he would train and at the end also play. It was always a comfortable feeling knowing that you had Steven Gerard in your team. It gave so much calmness and focus to the rest of the team.

“I've played with many great, great players. I was amazed how Mascherano would train, he always gave 110%. These players were incredible to be around, and I learned so much from them as a youngster.

“They all helped me elevate my own game. They all helped me understand the other side of football, the fact that you are not always allowed to play very nice football.

“Often, you would play against teams where you had to show fighting spirit, you had to show strength, and I was used to being at Ajax, where 90% of the time you’re dominating, winning 4-0 every game. It wasn’t like that in the Premier League.”