Michael Owen claims Liverpool wanted former captain and club legend Steven Gerrard out of the club two years before he eventually departed.
Owen’s thoughts on his time at Newcastle has already caused a uproar from Magpies fans and a Twitter row with Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.
Gerrard went to America to join MLS side LA Galaxy in 2015, but Owen claims that the Reds wanted their Anfield icon out of the club earlier.
Brendan Rodgers’ decision not to play Gerrard in a Champions League game at Real Madrid was cited as the beginning of the end for the Champions League-winning skipper, who decided then to end his career abroad.
Owen, though, says that Gerrard would much rather have seen out his playing days at Liverpool but think he was forced out.
In another extract from Owen’s book ‘Reboot’, which was already sparked plenty of publicity, the former Liverpool striker says he thinks Gerrard was forced out of his boyhood club.
"In Steven's case, I severely doubt whether he really wanted to go and play in the States in 2015," Owen wrote.
"I've heard that the club wanted him out two years prior to when he actually left.
"I'm sure he would rather have wound his career down at Liverpool, playing increasingly fewer games until he reached a point where he could be integrated into the coaching staff.
"This only happened later in his case. But instead, because he'd become so symbolic and so powerful, I believe he was forced out in the short term. Steven was bigger than the club."
👊 Michael Owen can't resist another dig at Alan Shearer, who he says blames him for relegation at #NUFC in 2009.
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 5, 2019
"If that's how he's overcome his disappointment of not being a success as Newcastle manager, then that's fine in a way."pic.twitter.com/I2vuM9kIGF
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