The Rest Is Football: Steven Gerrard – The Moments That Made Them

Episode Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards

Overview

In this special “Premier League Greats” episode, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards reflect on the career of Steven Gerrard, one of Liverpool's most iconic and influential midfielders. Through a mix of stories, debate, and typical banter, the hosts explore Gerrard’s defining moments – magic goals, agonizing slips, leadership as captain, and the unfulfilled dream of a Premier League title. The discussion captures how Gerrard’s loyalty, versatility, and willpower shaped not just Liverpool but English football itself.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is Steven Gerrard the Premier League’s Best Midfielder?

• Early Consensus:

  • Shearer: "He's the best all round, all round. Defending, attacking, passing, scoring goals, crosses, pass, everything you can do. He was a complete midfielder, without doubt." (03:26)
  • All agree that the "never won the Premier League" argument undervalues his greatness, given Liverpool’s teams at that time. (03:42)

• Gerrard vs Scholes vs Lampard:

  • Lineker: "Scholes was a passer, wasn't he? Probably the greatest passer of the football in that era." (04:13)
  • Shearer: “But Lampard as well...but it's different. Different.” (04:18)
  • Micah: "It's almost impossible" to settle the debate; each had unique qualities. (04:25-04:28)

2. Gerrard's Playing Style & Influence

• Described as having "the engine, up and down, goals when his team needed it. Important goals." (04:35)
• Leadership qualities highlighted by all. (05:06)
• Lineker comments on Gerrard’s football intellect and punditry, and wonders if he’ll give management another shot after spells at Rangers and Aston Villa. (05:08)

3. Speculation & Loyalty: The Chelsea Transfer Saga

• The hosts revisit 2005, when Gerrard was strongly linked to Chelsea under Mourinho.

• They contrast club loyalty with the allure of trophies:

  • Micah explains the "extra pressure" of being a local boy and captain. (07:29)
  • Shearer shares his near-move to Manchester United before choosing Newcastle, displaying the tricky balance between heart and ambition. (08:00)

• On Gerrard staying:

  • Shearer: “I’m glad he didn’t leave, though… There’s never going to be another Steven Gerrard at Liverpool. That’s how good he is. That’s the impact he has.” (10:11-10:13)

• Notable Rumor: Fans purportedly intervened to keep Gerrard from leaving ("Imagine someone turning up at your house saying, you're not going anywhere, man." – Shearer, 11:03)

4. Defining Moments on the Pitch

Istanbul 2005 – Champions League Final

• Hosts unanimously agree Gerrard “was the one that drove that comeback.” (11:13)
• Shearer: “He pulled them back into it... We talk about leadership. He’s just got a different aura around him.” (11:27)
• Anecdote: Shearer once borrowed Gerrard’s boots at England training:
  • “I was unbelievable in that training session. You know what? I want to get footage of it.” (12:43)

Old Trafford Penalty & the Badge Kiss

• Liverpool vs Manchester United: Penalty scored at Old Trafford, followed by Gerrard kissing the camera and badge, creating one of the era’s most iconic photos. (13:29-13:32)
• Micah: “When you say ‘it’s just a penalty’ – it’s just a penalty at Old Trafford against your biggest rivals!” (13:06)

Merseyside Derby Hat-Trick

• Gerrard’s hat-trick against Everton is seen as the ultimate “local boy” achievement.
• Micah: “For the local lad to do that is bloody amazing.” (21:31)
• Lineker draws parallels to his own days at Everton and scoring in derbies; “It's like an ordinary goal times about five, probably.” (20:34)

The Slip (vs. Chelsea, 2014)

• Played back in vivid detail; acknowledged as a cruel, defining moment that possibly cost Liverpool the league.
• Host: “Of all the players for it to happen...” (21:47)
• Micah: “You can imagine the hurt and the pain...” (22:01)
• Shearer references the double blow—local hero, local heartbreak. (22:14)
• Controversy about the keeper's role, but the consensus is that fate just conspired against Gerrard. (22:45-23:14)

5. Farewell & The LA Galaxy Stint

• Emotional send-off at Anfield noted:
  • “Captain deserved it,” says Micah. (23:58)
• Remark on Gerrard's continued leadership and how he stood up during “sticky moments.”

6. Leadership & Comparing Greats

• The perennial “Scholes vs Lampard vs Gerrard” question returns:
  • Hosts again say the three were so different it’s unfair to pick one; “They were both great players. They were great at what they did and they were both great at different things and could produce special moments when you needed them.” (24:24)
• Discussion of England’s midfield conundrum in the 2000s, tactical rigidity, and the missed opportunity to fit all three into the same team. (25:37)
• Modern parallel with Bellingham, Rodgers, Foden, Palmer—“a good problem to have.” (26:01-26:14)

7. Iconic Last-Minute FA Cup Final Goal

• Lineker recalls seeing Gerrard’s 30-yard equalizer vs. West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup Final:
  • “He got cramped, he was down with cramp. And then he somehow gets up and hits that thunderous goal from 30 yards... to equalise in the last minute.” (26:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alan Shearer on Gerrard’s all-around quality:
  "He was a complete midfielder, without doubt." (03:26)

• Gary Lineker on the endless midfield debate:
  "That's why I always think this argument is a little bit... almost impossible." (04:22-04:27)

• Micah Richards on the weight of hometown expectations:
  "...because you're a local boy and it's your team, your area and everyone looks to you to be the difference." (07:29)

• On Gerrard’s leadership in Istanbul:
  "He pulled them back into it… leadership, he's just got a different aura." – Alan Shearer (11:35)

• On the 2014 slip:
  "...the local boy making an error which then turns into an error that costs the league." – Micah Richards (22:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:06 – Gerrard as complete midfielder; comparing to Scholes and Lampard
• 05:53 – Chelsea transfer saga
• 11:13 – Istanbul Champions League comeback
• 13:06 – Old Trafford penalty and badge-kissing celebration
• 19:06 – Merseyside derby hat-trick
• 21:47 – The Slip against Chelsea
• 23:58 – Anfield farewell and LA Galaxy move
• 24:24 – Comparing Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard
• 26:29 – 2006 FA Cup Final: Last-minute thunderbolt vs. West Ham

Tone and Chemistry

• The hosts’ friendly, ribbing dynamic makes for engaging storytelling and debate. The tone is nostalgic but honest, with the three continually circling back to both Gerrard’s majestic highs and searing lows, framing his career as uniquely rich in drama, character, and local resonance.

Conclusion

All three agree that, regardless of personal rankings, Steven Gerrard is unequivocally one of the greatest players not just of the Premier League era, but in English football history. His legacy is cemented by big-game brilliance, loyalty to his club, never-say-die leadership, and the ability to shoulder the pressures and pain of being a true hometown hero.

End of Summary – “The Rest Is Football: Steven Gerrard – The Moments That Made Them”