Steven Gerrard is one of the best players in Premier League history, and to be compared to the Liverpool legend is one of the highest compliments you could possibly receive.
Indeed, Gerrard was a world-beater during his prime, but, there’s also a downside to the England star’s career.
Steven Gerrard wasn’t as successful as he perhaps should’ve been in terms of trophies, he never won a league title, and while the trophies he did win were memorable, he didn’t rack up tons of silverware.
Now, Jamie Carragher believes there’s another player in the Premier League who may be on the same path as Steven Gerrard.
According to Carragher, writing on X, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer reminds him a lot of Steven Gerrard, noting that he’s a wonderful player who seems to be getting frustrated with what’s happening around him and the lack of same-level support from his teammates.
Cole Palmer reminds Jamie Carragher of Steven Gerrard
Carragher shared his verdict on Palmer, claiming that the Chelsea ace reminds him of Steven Gerrard.
Palmer has been brilliant for Chelsea for the past two seasons, but, as of yet, he has nothing to show for it in terms of trophies.
Carragher believes Palmer is starting to get frustrated by the quality of the players around him, in the same way Gerrard used to at Liverpool.
Gerrard had chances to leave Liverpool, but he decided to remain loyal to the Reds, and Palmer may well have a similar sort of decision to make in the coming years.
Cole Palmer’s Chelsea compared to Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool
Carragher’s comparison here is interesting, Palmer is seemingly getting frustrated by the lack of support he receives from his teammates at Chelsea.
However, there is one huge difference here, Palmer is surrounded by millions upon millions of pounds worth of talent, while Steven Gerrard was genuinely a one-man show for most of his time at Liverpool, as the club didn’t spend huge amounts of money on star players.
Just compare this Chelsea team to the 2005 Champions League winning side at Liverpool, even with inflation-adjusted transfer fees, there’s a huge discrepancy.
| Chelsea best XI | Transfer fee | Liverpool 2005 XI | Inflation-adjusted transfer fee |
| Robert Sanchez | £25m | Jerzy Dudek | £28m |
| Reece James | £0 | Steve Finnan | £25m |
| Wesley Fofana | £70m | Jamie Carragher | £0 |
| Levi Colwill | £0 | Sami Hyypia | £25m |
| Marc Cucurella | £60m | Djimi Traore | £13m |
| Moises Caicedo | £115m | Steven Gerrard | £0 |
| Enzo Fernandez | £105m | Vladimir Smicer | £44m |
| Noni Madueke | £35m | Xabi Alonso | £74m |
| Cole Palmer | £40m | John Arne Riise | £23m |
| Pedro Neto | £60m | Harry Kewell | £34m |
| Nicolas Jackson | £35m | Milan Baros | £27m |
| Total cost | £555m | Total cost | £293m |
These are two very similar but also very different examples.
Gerrard, in a lot of ways, was let down by the club, the investment was rarely there when it needed to be and the midfielder had to drag a team kicking and screaming into the Champions League every year.
Meanwhile, Palmer has simply been let down by the quality on show, the money has been spent and the players have been bought, but, for one reason or another, it’s not clicking.
Palmer has time on his side at the age of just 22, and while it may be frustrating for him in this Chelsea team at the moment, given his teammates’ potential and Chelsea’s ambitions to spend money, there’s no reason why he can’t achieve his goals at Stamford Bridge.
While Gerrard had to play alongside a number of bargain basement players at Liverpool who, quite simply, weren’t up to standard at times, Palmer will always play alongside huge-money superstars at Chelsea, and that gives him a fighting chance of winning big trophies with the Blues.
