Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has picked Roy Keane as the one player he would have liked to have featured alongside during his professional career.
The former Reds captain took to the pitch alongside fellow greats such as Jamie Carragher, Robbie Fowler and Sami Hyypia, as well as linking up with rivals such as Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes while on international duty with England.
Gerrard has fielded questions time and time again in relation to the age-old debate over who was the better player in their prime out of himself, Lampard and Scholes, but it seems the Aston Villa boss believes Keane could well have complimented his game had the opportunity arisen to star alongside the former Manchester United star.
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Keane spent 12 years at Old Trafford and his strong presence in the middle of the park helped the Red Devils to seven league titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League. Fully aware of the quality the tough-tackling midfielder once possessed, Gerrard has admitted the now Sky Sports pundit would have been a dream team-mate.
Speaking ahead of today's match between Villa and Everton, the Liverpool great told BT Sport: "I've always been a massive fan of Roy Keane, not Man United.
"I think for all our generation watching Roy Keane's consistency levels, how he went about it, I like to get into the box and having someone who would have been able to protect me in there and do some of my dirty work. I think he was the best at it so I would probably go with Roy Keane."
Clearly an admirer of Gerrard himself, Keane admitted earlier this year that the Whiston-born midfielder was a better overall footballer than his one-time United team-mate, Paul Scholes. "Yes I agree. I agree but I think it is just down to the fact of loyalty," the ex-Republic of Ireland international told Jamie Carragher when discussing the famous duo.
"We are [supposed to be arguing] but I think you are winning this one because I just think that Stevie was brilliant, I thought Lampard was brilliant but it is just with Scholesy and the few games I played with him..." he added. "I always loved a player who could get a goal."
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