The admiring words from a Liverpool captain from the club's trophy-laden past to a legendary skipper of the future will surely prove to be amongst the most valuable for Gerrard.
Smith says: "Nobby Stiles once told me that he thought Steven Gerrard was the nearest thing to Duncan Edwards and that is a tremendous compliment for a player. I thought Gerrard was magnificent against Portsmouth. His all-action displays constantly put pressure on the opposition and he must be the best midfielder in the world at present."