Steven Gerrard isn’t often quick to praise anything Everton-linked, but there is a former Finch Farm talent he couldn’t help but be wowed by.

Back in 2017-18, Steven Gerrard was working as a youth coach for Liverpool prior to his time at Rangers. Now he has spoken about one Everton talent he came up against during a youth Merseyside derby back during this time.

Steven Gerrard admits Anthony Gordon blew him away as a youngster

Everton have had some amazing academy graduates, from Wayne Rooney to Leon Osman and Ross Barkley. Harrison Armstrong looks like the next up, but it is Anthony Gordon who has a fan in Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Speaking on The Overlap Daily, Gerrard has now commented on Anthony Gordon, whom he admits he had always been impressed by, even before he broke through at Everton.

“I actually know Anthony Gordon quite well. So, he’s often around my area in Formby and obviously followed his career. [He] used to play against my under-18 team when he was a tough player to control, even back when he was 16, 17. It was him and Curtis Jones going the two best players on the pitch.”

Gerrard saw firsthand how good one of Everton’s best academy graduates of the past decade was from the get-go, and his eye for talent was proven by Gordon’s rise to being a Barcelona player right now, costing them massive money.

Since his Everton days, Gordon has gone on to have a really successful career both in the Premier League and beyond.

Gordon has also made 28 appearances for England with seven goals, including some very impressive performances during the 2026 World Cup. The fact that even Gerrard was impressed by him as a youngster speaks absolute volumes.