CLICK HERE to read Sportsmail's full interview with Steven Gerrard as the Liverpool captain talks Balotelli, Sturridge... and the future (you will be surprised by what he says!) Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has never been one to shirk a difficult question or keep quiet when his team haven't played well. As his Liverpool side look to find their way out of what has been a difficult start to the 2014-15 Premier League season, the 34-year-old has been speaking openly about his future, Mario Balotelli, Daniel Sturridge and why Luis Suarez should be a front runner for the Ballon d'Or. Here, Sportsmail gathers the best 10 quotes from our Gerrard interview. Steven Gerrard (right) tells Sportsmail his thoughts on Mario Balotelli, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez . GERRARD ON HIS FUTURE . 'I certainly won’t be retiring this summer. I will play beyond this season. We will have to wait and see if that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else. That’s Liverpool’s decision. If they don’t come then I will see what’s out there.’ GERRARD ON RONALDO . ‘Coaches have always said to me there are times no tactics, or anything you can do, will stop quality football. ‘That first Madrid goal (against Liverpool at Anfield), very few in the world can finish that. I applaud that goal, a magical goal by a magical player. Liverpool skipper Gerrard believes Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo is a 'magical player' ‘The first I saw Ronaldo was in a friendly against Manchester United, for Sporting Lisbon. He tore the back out of John O’Shea. I felt sorry for him. It’s been interesting to see him progress, improving year by year. I think he has changed from being an individual player out wide — a showman who sometimes did skill that didn’t always hurt you — to being more direct and lethal. ‘In the old days he could be stopped. I saw Ashley Cole mark him out of the game. John Arne Riise used to do well against him. ‘Now he does all his work around the box, between the lines where you can’t pick him. I’ve never seen a player improve year by year so quickly.’ ON SUAREZ . ‘He scored 31 goals and was voted best player in the hardest league in the world. Why’s he not on the Ballon d’Or list? Incredible.’ Luis Suarez deserves to be challenging Ronaldo for this year's Ballon d'Or, claims Gerrard . Suarez scored 31 goals for Liverpool last season before leaving for Barcelona . ON STURRIDGE . ‘Ability-wise he is possibly the No 1 (English) striker I’ve played with, when you talk about speed, sharpness and skill and different types of goals. Some of the things he does in training blow me away.' ON BALOTELLI . ‘I like the guy . . . he likes being the main man up front. If he wants that at Liverpool you have to score goals. Yes, it seems he likes the attention, he likes being the main man up front. 'He loves the social media and loves talking to supporters and if he wants that at Liverpool you have to score goals. He will know that. And if he didn’t know it coming in then he will know it now.’ Gerrard has hailed Daniel Sturridge as 'possibly the No 1 English striker' he has played with . The Liverpool skipper likes Mario Balotelli and believes the striker knows he will have to score more goals . ON FITNESS . 'When I’m training off the pitch I normally do three weight sessions each day to improve my upper-body strength and one working on my lower body to improve leg strength. I also do two core or Pilates sessions to increase my flexibility.' ON PRESSURE . ‘We are being judged all the time and you have to accept it and embrace it and enjoy the pressure. That’s what I have learned to do ever since I was 19. I had to. There is no hiding place. People will point fingers.’ ON THE TOP FOUR . ‘To get into the top four we have to stop conceding stupid goals. But that is something Brendan is addressing and I can assure all the Liverpool fans out there we will improve and we will get better.’ The 34-year-old midfielder has learned to enjoy the pressure of playing at Anfield . Gerrard insists the 'slipped' chant from opposition fans drives him on to perform better . Gerrard (left) slips to let in Demba Ba to score against Chelsea . ON 'SLIPPED' CHANT . ‘Does it affect me? No, it drives me on to perform better. It has taken time to recover from last season, of course. For players and supporters. It was a huge setback when we fell short. It hit me hard.' ON HIS ROLE AS CAPTAIN . ‘I think when you are captain and you’re asked a question in front of the cameras you have to be honest, or what is the point in speaking? Players who say the wrong thing, or lie, or twist what is really happening out there . . . what is the point? I’d rather not go and speak. Basle was an honest appraisal.' The former England captain (centre) believes honesty is a key part of being a strong eader . VIDEO Rodgers dismisses Balotelli questions with a smile .
Steven Gerrard discusses Liverpool strikers past and present .
Gerrard backs Daniel Sturridge to become Liverpool icon .
Mario Balotelli knows he must score goals, claims Gerrard .
Liverpool captain reveals 'slipped' chant drives him on .
The 34-year-old claims Luis Suarez deserves to challenge for Ballon d'Or .
CLICK HERE to read Sportsmail's full interview with Steven Gerrard as the Liverpool captain talks Balotelli, Sturridge... and the future (you will be surprised by what he says!) Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has never been one to shirk a difficult question or keep quiet when his team haven't played well. As his Liverpool side look to find their way out of what has been a difficult start to the 2014-15 Premier League season, the 34-year-old has been speaking openly about his future, Mario Balotelli, Daniel Sturridge and why Luis Suarez should be a front runner for the Ballon d'Or. Here, Sportsmail gathers the best 10 quotes from our Gerrard interview. Steven Gerrard (right) tells Sportsmail his thoughts on Mario Balotelli, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez . GERRARD ON HIS FUTURE . 'I certainly won’t be retiring this summer. I will play beyond this season. We will have to wait and see if that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else. That’s Liverpool’s decision. If they don’t come then I will see what’s out there.’ GERRARD ON RONALDO . ‘Coaches have always said to me there are times no tactics, or anything you can do, will stop quality football. ‘That first Madrid goal (against Liverpool at Anfield), very few in the world can finish that. I applaud that goal, a magical goal by a magical player. Liverpool skipper Gerrard believes Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo is a 'magical player' ‘The first I saw Ronaldo was in a friendly against Manchester United, for Sporting Lisbon. He tore the back out of John O’Shea. I felt sorry for him. It’s been interesting to see him progress, improving year by year. I think he has changed from being an individual player out wide — a showman who sometimes did skill that didn’t always hurt you — to being more direct and lethal. ‘In the old days he could be stopped. I saw Ashley Cole mark him out of the game. John Arne Riise used to do well against him. ‘Now he does all his work around the box, between the lines where you can’t pick him. I’ve never seen a player improve year by year so quickly.’ ON SUAREZ . ‘He scored 31 goals and was voted best player in the hardest league in the world. Why’s he not on the Ballon d’Or list? Incredible.’ Luis Suarez deserves to be challenging Ronaldo for this year's Ballon d'Or, claims Gerrard . Suarez scored 31 goals for Liverpool last season before leaving for Barcelona . ON STURRIDGE . ‘Ability-wise he is possibly the No 1 (English) striker I’ve played with, when you talk about speed, sharpness and skill and different types of goals. Some of the things he does in training blow me away.' ON BALOTELLI . ‘I like the guy . . . he likes being the main man up front. If he wants that at Liverpool you have to score goals. Yes, it seems he likes the attention, he likes being the main man up front. 'He loves the social media and loves talking to supporters and if he wants that at Liverpool you have to score goals. He will know that. And if he didn’t know it coming in then he will know it now.’ Gerrard has hailed Daniel Sturridge as 'possibly the No 1 English striker' he has played with . The Liverpool skipper likes Mario Balotelli and believes the striker knows he will have to score more goals . ON FITNESS . 'When I’m training off the pitch I normally do three weight sessions each day to improve my upper-body strength and one working on my lower body to improve leg strength. I also do two core or Pilates sessions to increase my flexibility.' ON PRESSURE . ‘We are being judged all the time and you have to accept it and embrace it and enjoy the pressure. That’s what I have learned to do ever since I was 19. I had to. There is no hiding place. People will point fingers.’ ON THE TOP FOUR . ‘To get into the top four we have to stop conceding stupid goals. But that is something Brendan is addressing and I can assure all the Liverpool fans out there we will improve and we will get better.’ The 34-year-old midfielder has learned to enjoy the pressure of playing at Anfield . Gerrard insists the 'slipped' chant from opposition fans drives him on to perform better . Gerrard (left) slips to let in Demba Ba to score against Chelsea . ON 'SLIPPED' CHANT . ‘Does it affect me? No, it drives me on to perform better. It has taken time to recover from last season, of course. For players and supporters. It was a huge setback when we fell short. It hit me hard.' ON HIS ROLE AS CAPTAIN . ‘I think when you are captain and you’re asked a question in front of the cameras you have to be honest, or what is the point in speaking? Players who say the wrong thing, or lie, or twist what is really happening out there . . . what is the point? I’d rather not go and speak. Basle was an honest appraisal.' The former England captain (centre) believes honesty is a key part of being a strong eader . VIDEO Rodgers dismisses Balotelli questions with a smile .
with Steven Gerrard as the Liverpool captain Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez . GERRARD ON HIS Suarez deserves to be challenging Ronaldo for this year's Ballon d'Or, claims Gerrard . Suarez Liverpool skipper likes Mario Balotelli and believes the striker knows he will have to score better.’ The 34-year-old midfielder has learned Gerrard insists the 'slipped' chant from opposition fans drives him on to perform better .