‘Maybe I’m wrong’… Alan Shearer now makes claim about Anfield when he used to play there

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Alan Shearer may have just endeared himself to Liverpool supporters for life.

The Newcastle United legend has been one of the leading pundits of the past 15 years or so, and hasn’t always been Reds supporters’ favourite person.

But after listening to his quotes on The Rest Is Football podcast today, that may all be about to change. Shearer has been absolutely raving about Liverpool, their fans and – in particular – their stadium.

“I always used to love going to Anfield,” admitted the 53-year-old. “I loved the ground. I think I loved the atmosphere and I loved, I don’t know maybe I’m wrong, but I always felt you got a little bit more respect as a player, if you were half decent, at Anfield than you did at a lot of grounds.

“They are an incredible football club. Very rarely did you come away from Anfield with anything, but I always enjoyed it just because it has a special atmosphere.”

Shearer makes himself a favourite

Obviously, Liverpool supporters don’t need anyone to tell them just how storied and historic their ground is.

Anfield is part of football folklore across the world, and has prompted similar reactions to that of Shearer’s for as long as anyone can remember.

Nevertheless, it’s always nice to be reminded of it from a true legend of the game.

Younger fans perhaps won’t remember Shearer. After all, it’s now almost 18 years since the iconic former England international hung up his boots.

But the pundit was one of the most explosive strikers of his day. A phenomenally consistent goal-scorer, Shearer is still the Premier League’s all-time top scorer and one of the greatest ever seen in his position.

For him to speak in such reverential terms about a ground and a club that he never called home is quite something. However, there may also be another side to Shearer’s enthusiasm here.

Perhaps the greatest day of the striker’s career – his Premier League win with Blackburn Rovers in 1995 – came at Anfield.

That day, the final day of the season, Liverpool beat the Kenny Dalglish led Rovers 2-1. But with Blackburn going head-to-head with arch-rivals Manchester United for the title, Anfield was absolutely on the side of Shearer and co. Thankfully, United’s 1-1 draw with West Ham still saw Dalglish and Shearer crowned as champions on the Anfield turf.

Liverpool got the win and United were denied the title. Of course the home crowd was happy, and Shearer surely remembers that. Regardless of the reasons though, this is some praise to receive.