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Steven Gerrard prepares for final 90 minutes at Anfield

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will play his final game at Anfield before leaving his home-town club to pursue his playing career in US Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy.

Steven Gerrard has played for his home town team Liverpool for 17 years
Steven Gerrard has played for his home town team Liverpool for 17 years Reuters/Carl Recine
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He hasn't actually finished his career in England quite yet. But that's not going to stand in the way of a chance to pour out the love for Steven George Gerrard.

Stevie G - as he's known to his adoring home fans - will play his final game at Anfield on Saturday 16 May against Crystal Palace.

It is 17 years since a spindly lad from the Liverpool district of Whiston turned out for the club he supported as a boy.

In nearly two decades with Liverpool, he won the Champions League, the Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups.

Former team-mate John Arne Riise wrote in his blog about his former captain: "He is the greatest Liverpool has ever had. I'm honoured that I can say I played seven years with the legend himself. I won the Champions League with him, even though I think he won it for us."

Gerrard has called that Champions League victory against AC Milan in 2005 in Istanbul as one of the best nights of his life.

For those unaware of this piece of folklore. AC Milan went in at half-time 3-0 up. Their players were effectively talking about how they would sport their winners medals.

This riled the scally in Stevie G. And he waged a one-man mission to wreak havoc among the preening Milan squad. Liverpool came back to draw the match 3-3 and won the penalty shoot-out. Legend.

Gerrard never picked up a Premier League winners medal and the 34-year-old has mentioned that as a regret. But, for that night alone in the Turkish capital, Stevie G won't have to put his hand in his pocket to buy a round in any bar run by a fan of Inter Milan.

Rafael Benitez was the Liverpool boss for that triumph in Istanbul and Gerrard has had kind words for all the men who managed him, even the benighted reign of Roy Hodgson between July 2010 and January 2011. Gérard Houllier was singled out for especial praise. It was the Frenchman who gave the youngster his chance and made him captain at 23.

He's not relinquished the armband and as he prepares to say goodbye to the faithful, the current manager Brendan Rodgers said he will miss him "as a man".

"I think both our interests are purely devoted to Liverpool Football Club," said Rodgers. "He will be missed because our relationship is strong. We communicate well and not having him here will leave a huge hole. He’s irreplaceable but we have got to keep moving forward as a club and as a team."

Rodgers said he had asked his staff to use one word to describe Gerrard. The response was simply: "Liverpool".

"What Steven has given to this city, politicians haven’t given," Rodgers added. "He's a wonderful symbol for the people and he’s very much about looking after his people. He is one of the very few genuine world-class players who is around the game. He played 42 games in my first season, 39 last season and 38 so far this season - that shows his value and importance to me."

Gerrard will play his 706th game for Liverpool against Palace. Match 707 should come next week on the final day of the season at Stoke City.

There'll be more love at the Britannia Stadium on 24 May. Stoke City manager Mark Hughes was coming to the end of his playing career just as Gerrard was starting to establish himself in the Liverpool midfield.

Hughes will ensure due reverence is paid.

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