Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy has delivered his verdict on Rangers boss Steven Gerrard ahead of the Old Firm derby on Sunday.
Gerrard is set to take on his former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers when his team takes on Celtic on Sunday afternoon, and Murphy believes that the Anfield legend will be wanting to get one over Rodgers in his first derby.
The pundit also adds how the Gers’ manager is empathetic and cares a great deal about his players, and that he will only learn the longer he stays in the Rangers hotseat.
“There will be a determination from Stevie to get one over [Rodgers]. Not because there is any niggle there, but because Stevie knows he is the underdog. Brendan is the more experienced guy and the one everyone expects to come out on top and that makes Stevie dangerous. It always has,” he told BBC Sport.
“The Rangers squad will automatically respect him because of what he’s done in the game, but they will have also seen that he has the ability to be empathetic and care about players.
“The best managers all have that balance of talking to you with respect, giving you encouragement, but putting you back behind the line if you ever cross it. I think Stevie has that in his armoury and has the personality to learn as he goes on.”
OPINION
Gerrard has not been in the Rangers hotseat long, but he is already showing what a great job he is doing at the club. Murphy is right to heap praise on the former Anfield legend – seeming as it is his first senior managerial role, Gerrard has taken it on like somebody who has been doing the job for years. If anyone is capable of helping Rangers usurp their bitter rivals Celtic as Scottish Premier League champions – it is Gerrard. Having been there and done it only recently, he knows what it is like to be the underdog during his time at Liverpool. However, Murphy is right saying that Gerrard will be keen to get one over his former boss. Obviously, Rodgers has more experience at a high level, and Gerrard will be wanting to prove to everybody that he can get the better of Celtic at his first attempt. There is no reason why he will not be able to guide his team to victory over the Hoops on Sunday – and as Murphy points out, being the underdog is what makes Gerrard “dangerous.”