Steven Gerrard to stay at Liverpool for another year, says Phil Thompson

Former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson says captain Steven Gerrard is likely to sign another contract and is well placed to take on a coaching position at Anfield when his playing days are over.

Thompson told Sky Sports News HQ that Gerrard’s goal in the 3-1 win over Leicester City showed he was still “happy” at the club, and that coaching opportunities would present themselves when the 34-year-old’s playing days were over.

“I think he is more than happy, I think he will remain at Liverpool for at least 12 months, and I would quite imagine that if he wants to, he will remain in a very high level on the coaching staff,” Thompson said.

“Even with the likes of Steven - he’s been there a long time - does he have any right to be a manager straight away at Liverpool? It's a difficult one. It happened with Kenny Dalglish.

“I would think he would like to start coaching at a first team level. As a first team coach I think would be ideal, or an assistant manager.”

Thompson, who managed Liverpool in a temporary capacity, went on to say Gerrard’s role on the pitch had been “open to good debate”, and that he couldn’t still be “that rampaging midfield player”, but moving him further forward could provide the team “with the best of both worlds”.

Thompson also weighed in on goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s recent run of poor form for Liverpool, in particular the own goal he conceded off his back against Leicester.

“Should he be replaced? No,” Thompson said.

“Because I still believe that, at this moment, Brad Jones is a good goalkeeper, but he’s not as good as Simon Mignolet. But if Mignolet's confidence is still going down, they might have to look to take him out of the firing line… we might need a new goalkeeper in January."

Commenting on another sidelined Liverpool player, Adam Lallana, Thompson said he could not understand why the attacking midfielder was not a mainstay of the Liverpool starting side.

“He brings something to the party. He is always progressive with his passing, he is always progressive with his movement, and I think he should be one of the main starters every match.”

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