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Zinedine Zidane has told Sir Alex Ferguson his verdict on Steven Gerrard is wrong.

Zidane, once acclaimed as the world’s finest footballer and now sporting director of Real Madrid, said: “For two or three years, Steven Gerrard was the best midfield player in the world.

“Even now he is playing at a high level for ­Liverpool and England.”

The 41-year-old Zidane (believes the comments of former Manchester United boss Fergie about Gerrard in his autobiography are “strange.”

Ferguson insisted that Liverpool captain Gerrard has never been "a top, top player."

But as well as hailing the Liverpool star as being the best in the world during his pomp, Zidane added: “Gerrard has been loyal to Liverpool throughout his career – which is great for them – but if he had wanted to leave four or five years ago then every top club in Europe would have tried to sign him.

"And they would have probably had to break the transfer record to do it.

“Alex Ferguson is obviously one of the most successful coaches the game has ever had. But I did find his comments about Steven Gerrard very strange. To say he is not a top player is wrong.”

Owen Hargreaves, another player criticised by Ferguson, has now responded.

Hargreaves’ career ended due to a chronic knee condition just one season after United signed him from Bayern Munich for £17million in May 2007.

And Ferguson wrote that the midfielder “opted for the easy choices in training,” and “was one of the most disappointing signings of my career.”

Hargreaves hit back on Saturday: “Anyone who knows me knows that professionalism is probably one of my strongest traits. A lot of people who rang me this week are very surprised at what he said.

“I had one very successful season, but after the treatment that summer I virtually never played again. My only regret was I didn’t go to him, but I didn’t realise the severity of it until it was too late.”