Steven Gerrard has spoken, and when he speaks about midfielders, the whole football world listens. This is not just any opinion from just any pundit. This is Steven Gerrard, the man who carried Liverpool for more than a decade, the man who defined what it means to be a modern midfielder, the man whose name is etched into Premier League history. When he looks at players in the centre of the pitch, when he analyses talent, grit, vision, and leadership, his words carry a weight that few can ignore. And now, Gerrard has set the football conversation on fire by boldly declaring that Alexis Mac Allister is better than Declan Rice.
It’s a statement that has sent shockwaves not only through Liverpool and Arsenal fans but also across the entire football community. Because Rice, the England international, the £100m man, the Arsenal heartbeat, has been spoken of as one of the very best in the world. Yet Gerrard, who knows a world-class midfielder when he sees one, insists that Liverpool’s Argentine magician edges him. And what makes this claim even more powerful is that Mac Allister cost less than a third of Rice’s fee. Thirty-five million pounds versus one hundred million. Bargain versus blockbuster. Yet Gerrard sees more class, more subtle brilliance, and more influence in Mac Allister than in the player Arsenal fans sing about every week.
Liverpool fans are buzzing with pride at these words. It’s one thing to rate Mac Allister highly. It’s another to hear Steven Gerrard himself say it. The Anfield faithful know what Gerrard meant to their club. He was the leader, the fighter, the player who dragged Liverpool to victory even when all hope seemed lost. For him to put Mac Allister on such a pedestal is not just praise; it is an endorsement that could define how the world views the Argentine going forward.
But this is not just about Gerrard’s words. This is about what we have seen from Mac Allister since he joined Liverpool. From the moment he arrived from Brighton, there was excitement. The World Cup winner brought with him intelligence, composure, and technical brilliance. Yet even the most optimistic Liverpool fans did not expect him to adapt so quickly, to become such a key figure in Arne Slot’s system, to boss games in a way that makes defenders panic and forwards trust that the ball will always find its way to them.
Mac Allister has become the heartbeat of Liverpool’s midfield, and Gerrard has spotted it. His ability to defend when needed, to shield the backline, to win the ball in dangerous areas, and then instantly switch play into attack is what sets him apart. It’s what makes him invaluable. While Rice is powerful, physical, and commanding, Gerrard clearly sees something more refined in Mac Allister—something that makes him not only effective but also elegant.
The fact that Gerrard chose to make this statement on the popular “winner stays on” trend on TikTok only added more fuel to the fire. Social media erupted. Every time a player’s name came up, Gerrard had to pick who was better. Mac Allister kept winning. One by one, the big names fell. Moisés Caicedo? Gerrard chose Mac Allister. Bruno Guimaraes? Gerrard chose Mac Allister. Enzo Fernández? Gerrard chose Mac Allister. Even Ryan Gravenberch, Mac Allister’s current teammate at Liverpool, was edged out in Gerrard’s eyes. And then came the big one—Declan Rice. Gerrard didn’t hesitate. He picked Mac Allister.