“He has to be the one you pick”: Rooney picks Gerrard over Scholes and Lampard as the era’s most complete midfielder | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney has called Steven Gerrard the most complete midfield player of the Premier League era.

The debate around thePremier League's best midfielder has become a regular narrative on social media, with former Liverpool captain Gerrard often compared to ex-England teammates Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard.

Tribal allegiances and personal preferences have made the debate ongoing, with Rooney now offering his view. The formerManchester United captain played alongside all three players during his career and believes Gerrard was the most rounded of the trio.

Speaking toThe Wayne Rooney show on the BBC, Rooney said Gerrard 'has to be the one you pick' if seeking the complete midfield package.

"When you're talking about the complete midfield player, there's five really for me in the Premier League. Four I played with, one I didn't," he said.

"That was Gerrard, Scholes, (Michael) Carrick, (Patrick) Vieira and Lampard. The complete midfield player out of all of them, it has to be Gerrard.

"He could do everything. I think he's played at full-back, he's played midfield, he's played as a (number) ten. He could tackle, he can shoot, he can dictate the game, he can hit long passes.

"We saw him in that period with (Fernando) Torres, where he's become more the assist man for Torres. He had everything as a midfield player. I would have loved to have seen him at Man United, but...

"I think in terms of a midfield player that can do everything, he has to be the one you pick."