Gerrard scored twice for England against Andorra on Wednesday when he was handed a start in the middle and has made no secret of the fact that he feels most comfortable there. In the wake of that win in Barcelona his former Liverpool team-mate and friend Jamie Redknapp expressed fears that the 26-year-old would eventually become frustrated at Anfield should he be forced to continue on the right.
"To keep the team winning is the most important thing, that's what keeps the players happy. He would prefer to play in the centre, for sure, but he's happy to play somewhere else because he understands his responsibilities. He's a top-class player who can play anywhere and last season, the best of his life, was largely spent on the right and he scored 23 goals. I don't need to respond [to Redknapp]. I need to be focused on my team, my player and the balance of my team."
Today's game will be the first attended by George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks since the American businessmen officially bought the Merseyside club, and Benítez is due to meet the new owners at a city centre hotel tomorrow. "We will talk about the club's future, and I hope they are long and productive talks," he added. "I know the new owners are clever people and will want to hear what I have to say."
