Poyet said: "I was surprised when people were saying Steven Gerrard was having a bad season. No chance.
"With the greatest respect to the Liverpool team, I think they would be better off with Gerrard in the team all the time even if he is not at his best.
"He wants to win all the time, he wants to chase and tackle for every ball and you can feel that he is playing for his team.
"He can feel the colours, he can feel everything in the club and he tries to push his teammates.
"He's young and is the kind of player, for me, that has to play always."