With both Mascherano and Alonso appearing far more useful in the first team than Kuyt, many fans had tipped Gerrard to make a return to the right.
But Gerrard today fired a warning that he isn’t happy about it!
‘I’ve paid the price for being able to do a decent job in other positions,’ Gerrard said.
‘Other players don’t get shunted around because they can’t do it. I can’t go and play on the right or the left and become Kaka or Robinho, I just go out there, give 100 per cent and do a steady job.
‘I’ll work hard, do my bit defensively and help the team. That’s why managers do it to me, but it is affecting me.
‘My game suffers when my position is changed. I’m a central midfielder and in the big games I want to play in the middle and show that I’m one of the very best in that position.
‘I’ve played in my favourite position for England five times in 68 games. What can you do? I go into training with England and try to prove myself every day.
‘Every England manager I’ve worked under knows where I want to play, but they pick the formations and I play where I’m told,’
Gerrard has also told Benitez he doesn’t want to play against Manchester United.
‘I’ve a decent chance for the Champions League game in Marseille,’
‘I’ve spoken to the manager and told him I’d like to do a certain amount of training before I come back. I don’t want to go into a big game only having had one session with the boys.’
What do you think? Should he play where he is told? Or should Gerrard decide?