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Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has claimed that ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson used to get Gary Neville to try and persuade him to make a potentially sensational move to their arch rivals when they were England international team-mates.

Speaking in extracts from his new autobiography Steven Gerrard – My Story that is being serialised in the Daily Mail, Gerrard said: “My agent, Struan Marshall, told me that, under Fergie, United had a decent pop at trying to sign me. Gary Neville would knock at my door during England camps.

“He’d come in for a chat and let me know how much United would love me to play for them. Gary told me Fergie had sent him.”

Gerrard admits he was shocked by Ferguson’s later comments about his ability in the Scot’s own autobiography but insists he never took the remarks to heart.

He said: “In 2004, Ferguson had called me ‘the most influential player in England, bar none’ and suggested that ‘anyone would love to have Gerrard in their team’.

“So I was a little hurt and surprised when 13 years later, Ferguson used his autobiography to insist he was one of the few who never thought I was ‘a top, top player’.

“I wouldn’t lose any sleep but I was slightly taken aback after all his praise.

“The only point that mattered was that I have real respect for Ferguson, but I wondered how many league titles he thought Scholes or Keane might have won if they had played for Liverpool.

“I would have done OK in a United team playing alongside Keane in midfield with David Beckham on the right, Ryan Giggs on the left and Ruud van Nistelrooy up front. I would have managed pretty well in that side.”