Darren Bent says Liverpool used to have an amazing player who was so ‘nasty’ to play against

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Liverpool went through a long period of not challenging in the Premier League prior to Jurgen Klopp’s arrival in 2015.

The Reds went close on occasion under the likes of Rafa Benitez and then even Brendan Rodgers, but there was always something holding them back.

Whereas the Liverpool squad right now is absolutely packed full of quality from top to bottom, that often was not the case.

Although the Reds always had one or two top players to hang their hat on, they often had a number of others who had no business being on the playing staff at Anfield.

In amongst all of that, though, Liverpool did also have some genuine club legends represent them in the 2000’s and 2010’s, something former England striker Darren Bent knew all too well.

Darren Bent hails Steven Gerrard

Bent was an excellent Premier League striker during his day. The 40-year-old had spells at Ipswich, Charlton, Tottenham, Sunderland and Aston Villa in the top division.

Wherever he went, he scored goals. According to the man himself, Jamie Carragher even tried to talk Bent into a move to Liverpool.

One of the most memorable moments of Bent’s career actually came against the Reds. Few who witnessed it will ever forget his infamous ‘beach ball goal’ against Pepe Reina.

That aside, though, Bent has told TalkSPORT that he never really enjoyed coming against Liverpool, purely because of one man: Steven Gerrard.

Asked to comment on how much Gerrard would be worth in terms of a transfer fee if he were playing now, Bent waxed lyrical about the Liverpool icon.

READ MORE: Lucas Leiva names the best player he played with across 10 years at Liverpool

“I’m looking at people like Caicedo, Enzo, Declan Rice. I’m saying Steven Gerrard 140, 150. Has to be,” says the pundit. “I’d also put Scholes in there at the same price.

“Look at the likes of Caicedo going for so much money. Gerrard at his absolute maximum, he has had so many moments and he was that good, to prize him away to another Premier League club and what he meant to Liverpool, I would say probably 150.

“He used to cause me so many problems,” adds Bent. “It didn’t matter where I was. My goodness. If his team was losing he’d take it upon himself, he’d take it personally. The moment we even got a foothold in the game he’d go ‘here we go.’

“He’d pick the ball up, his passing, his driving runs, he was quicker than people remember, the goals that he could score, he could put a tackle in, he was bit nasty. He was the full package, Steven Gerrard.”

Rafa Benitez sends Steven Gerrard reminder

Another day, another former pro hailing Liverpool’s captain fantastic. What a player Gerrard was.

Bent’s take comes hot on the heels of Benitez naming Gerrard as the best player he ever managed earlier this week.

When you remember that Rafa even coached Cristiano Ronaldo for a short while at Real Madrid, you realise what a compliment that really is.

The only regret of Gerrard’s time at Liverpool is that he was never able to play in a truly exceptional team. Benitez’s group of 07-09 was special, but just imagine Stevie G in a Klopp team, for example.

As Bent confirms, Gerrard used to scare the life out of the opposition when coming up against them. If he’d have had more help around him, the Scouser could have made Liverpool unstoppable.