‘The energy, the aura’ Arsenal legend Thierry Henry fawns over Liverpool legend

Former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry claimed it pains him to know that Steven Gerrard didn’t win the Premier League during his career, as he recently spoke on his former adversary.

Gerrard enjoyed a long career at Anfield retiring as one of the best ever players in the club’s history, but despite triumphing in both European competitions - the league title always eluded him.

However, he is comfortably regarded as one of the league’s best ever midfielders, possessing an all-round game and never-say-die attitude that saw him single handedly win games and drag his team over the line time and time again. And that earned the respect of the footballing world, including the two-time Premier League winner Henry who recently spoke about the ex-midfielder.

The interview came from The Professional Football Association’s YouTube channel, in which Henry was recounting past Premier League memories, former opponents and favourite moments, but the former striker spoke for over a minute on how much he respected Gerrard, his career at Liverpool and his overall ability in an open and honest interview.

“I have to mention the big man, Stevie G” Henry remarked. “It pains me to look at him knowing he didn’t win the Premier League, I’m not saying that to be sarcastic, it’s just when I say it, it sounds weird.

“Again, I go back to impact. What he did transmit, how he used to transcend people, you know the energy, the aura. This guy when he was on, even when he wasn’t on, he used to try and find a way to motivate people to get the crowd behind him, to get players who you thought we’re not that great suddenly because he told or because he tackled someone or because he smashed the ball from 35 yards into the top corner everyone’s like ‘I will win for this guy’.

“We will do it for this guy. This is what I’m saying sometimes it’s not so much about titles - it is don’t get me wrong - it’s also about do you inspire people, what do you transmit, how do you transcend people? When I think about Liverpool, the older generation would give me other names, and rightly so, with the likes of King Kenny and Ian Rush but, for me, he is Liverpool.”

Gerrard played a remarkable 710 times for his boyhood club, scoring 186 times and going onto win nine trophies including the Champions League and UEFA Cup. However, he fell painfully short of winning the league title on two occasions during the 2008/09 season and the famous 2013/14 campaign.

He faced off against Henry’s Arsenal 15 times in the Premier League, enjoying six victories as well as also losing six times across those fixtures.