Steven Gerrard made his feelings on Michael Owen's Man Utd stint very clear with remark

Steven Gerrard had the perfect response to Michael Owen's controversial Manchester United switch.

Liverpool legend Gerrard played alongside Owen for both club and country. While the former stayed loyal to his roots, the latter's reputation on Merseyside took a significant hit when he made the choice to join arch-rivals United in 2009.

Gerrard wasn't prepared to let him live that down when he returned to Anfield as Aston Villa manager in December 2021. Owen asked him what it was like to be there but on the opposing side instead of for the Reds.

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Working as a pundit for DAZN, he said: "[I'm] just wondering - we've all played, we've all gone back to Anfield in different guises. I must admit I hated going back to play against Liverpool.

"What were your emotions like going back today? How does it feel taking a team to your home?" Gerrard had a smirk on his face before he answered: "If I played for Man U, I'd hate coming back too!"

Aside from the banter, their personal relationship didn't seem to be impacted by the situation. Owen clearly still held Gerrard in high regard when asked the classic debate of who was better out of him, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard.

During his appearance on The Greatest Game with Jamie Carragher, he explained why it's his former Liverpool team-mate who comes out on top in his eyes. "If you watch Scholesy in training, your tongue is hanging out," Owen began.

"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 sixpence. He is just total and utter genius.

"But there's that and there's the actual practicalities of playing on a big pitch where you need size, strength, substance, running ability, all these things. And if you play one v one, you against you, Stevie against any of the names that you've played, I think he would eat them for dinner.

"Someone like Scholesy obviously had different attributes. I mean, unbelievable the way he changed his game from being a bombing midfielder scoring to a quarterback. Total genius.

"Frank Lampard, who can question his goal scoring and how he got every ounce 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 anyone."

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