STEVEN GERRARD INTERVIEW: I've not heard from Liverpool on a new contract... I'm not retiring so next season I will be here or somewhere else

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On the training pitches of Melwood and in Brendan Rodgers’s office, Steven Gerrard is busy trying to reinvent the wheels of his career yet again.

Shorn of Luis Suarez, this is a different Liverpool this season. So far, it’s a flawed version.

It’s a different Gerrard too. It has to be. After the success of last season’s step backwards towards a holding-midfield role, the Liverpool captain has found himself hunted quarry this time and, as he looks to prolong his Anfield career, it has been time for a rethink.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has had to rethink his game under Brendan Rodgers this season

Gerrard celebrates scoring a free-kick in the Merseyside derby which ended 1-1 last month 

Gerrard, challenged by Stewart Downing, was man-marked in defeats by West Ham and Aston Villa

The 34-year-old revealed he has worked on his positioning with Liverpool boss Rodgers (above)

‘It’s been different this season,’ said Gerrard. ‘A couple of teams have set up to man-mark me and stifle me. Against Villa (Gabriel) Agbonlahor wasn’t remotely interested in the ball or the game, only in following me. The other one was at West Ham, but Sam Allardyce has always done that with me.

‘In those two games I found it hard to influence things so I’ve had loads of chats with Brendan about how to counter that if it happens, whether it’s by moving out of position or moving further forward into a ‘10’ position.

‘We did that in a recent game and it worked really well and my form has actually been a lot better since people started to try and stifle me.

‘I think you will see changes in my game. Brendan and I have worked some things out.’

Gerrard, laughing in training, is confident he has a remedy for opponents attempting to stifle him during games

Mario Balotelli talks with Gerrard, Fabio Borini (left) and Kolo Toure (right) during Liverpool training

Playing for Liverpool is hard. The really big clubs — Manchester United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich — don’t suit everybody and Liverpool sit firmly in that group.

Gerrard — in his 17th season at Anfield now — told Sportsmail: ‘We have a huge following all over the world. People watch us. The pressure is on us to perform all the time, every single game. We are on the TV every three days, not once a month like most. You can’t hide, being a Liverpool player.

‘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.’ 

Gerrard believes his team-mates must 'embrace' and 'enjoy the pressure' that comes with playing at Anfield

Balotelli has endured a difficult start to his Liverpool career since joining the club in the summer

VIDEO Rodgers dismisses Baloteeli questions with a smile

There is a point to this part of the conversation. The point is called Mario Balotelli.

The Barclays Premier League’s latest enfant terrible is back for his second stint in England and is trying to find a home at Anfield.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher — a friend of Gerrard’s — watched Balotelli toil in the recent home defeat by Real Madrid and subsequently told TV audiences he was a ‘panic buy’ who may be sold in January.

Gerrard is having none of that but, equally, as captain of his football club he knows what Balotelli must do if he is to succeed. I ask him if he feels the No 9 shirt — metaphorically speaking — weighs heavy at Anfield, given those who have passed before.

Jamie Carragher (above) believes Liverpool's £16million move for Balotelli was a 'panic buy'

The Italian striker celebrates scoring his first Liverpool goal against Ludogorets in the Champions League

‘Yes it does,’ was the blunt reply.

‘That shirt does weigh heavy. But so does (my) No 8. So do most of the numbers. With social media and the way the general media has gone there is so much criticism and opinion out there that if the No 9 weighed heavy 10 years ago it weighs even heavier now.’

Balotelli — who actually wears No 45 — has certainly felt that weight, even if he did score his second Liverpool goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Swansea in the Capital One Cup. At half-time that night, Kenny Dalglish and Robbie Fowler were on the field. Ian Rush was in the directors’ box. It’s hard to escape the past at Anfield. 

Balotelli struggled to make an impact during Liverpool's 3-0 Champions League defeat against Real Madrid

‘To be a main striker at Liverpool you have to expect the pressure and the responsibility and embrace it,’ added Gerrard. ‘Our fans have seen so many quality forwards over the years they expect new ones to be quality in every game. Above everything else you will have to score goals and score them regularly.

‘Look at the ones I have played with — Fowler, Owen, Suarez, Torres. They have always been consistent with goals and that’s what has made them the superstars they are. You have to respect Jamie’s opinion. He knows football but it’s too early to get on Mario’s back.

‘He just needs time to score the goals he needs to prove to people he is worthy of staying here. I am not gonna judge him after 10 games. To come in after Suarez was always going to be a big ask and he’s not feeling sorry for himself. He is working hard, doing extra shooting sessions.

Gerrard admits that Balotelli has a tough task following the likes of Fernando Torres (left) and Luis Suarez

‘I’ve actually been impressed the way he goes about his work. You hear all kinds of stories and rumours before you meet him, but he does all the work. I like the guy.

‘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.’ 

The Reds skipper 'can't believe' that former Liverpool striker Suarez isn't on the Ballon d'Or shortlist

Rodgers admitted recently that he built his team around Suarez last season and Gerrard (below) doesn’t disagree.

He thinks it was ridiculous that his former team-mate wasn’t included on the shortlist for this year’s World Footballer of the Year. ‘I can’t believe it but that’s politics in football isn’t it?’ he said.

‘He scored 31 goals and was voted best player in the hardest league in the world. So you tell me how he’s not on the Ballon d’Or list. Incredible. He should be fighting Cristiano Ronaldo for it. That’s a fact.’ 

Suarez should be Cristiano Ronaldo's (above) closest challenger for this year's Ballon d'Or, claims Gerrard

Gerrard made his debut for Liverpool in November 1998. He played 39 times during last season’s buccaneering campaign but, as peculiar as it sounds, this one could be his last.

Out of contract next summer, Gerrard would like to stay but has yet to be approached for talks by the club. ‘I can only worry about this season 'cos I’m only contracted until May,’ he said candidly.

‘As it stands at the moment, I’m here until the end of the season and want to make the most of it. 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.’

A young Gerrard making his Liverpool debut against Blackburn Rovers in November 1998

What is clear is that Gerrard feels he has unfinished business at his one and only club. After last season’s crushing disappointment, it’s hard to blame him. Liverpool looked set to win the Premier League until they lost to Chelsea at Anfield. Fast forward a few months and those chants and songs follow him wherever he goes.

‘Do I hear it?’ he asked with a wry smile. ‘Of course. There are thousands of them singing it!

‘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.

‘I’m not looking for excuses but there are collective reasons for our stuttering start this time. We lost a key player, we’ve had a key player injured and other Premier League sides have improved.

The Anfield icon has a very specific fitness regime to keep himself in shape throughout the season

‘That’s why we’re not sitting top of the league with everything rosy.’

Gerrard’s admiration for Suarez is ongoing. Interestingly, though, he feels the Uruguayan’s natural heir is already at the club.

‘For me, when you talk about potential in this country, Daniel Sturridge is the player with the most,’ he said.

‘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. He could go as far as he wants to go. 

Liverpool looked set to win the Premier League until they lost 2-0 against Chelsea at Anfield last season

Gerrard slips to let in Chelsea's Demba Ba and opposition fans have not let him forget it

Gerrard has named Daniel Sturridge (right) as 'possibly the No 1' English striker he has played with

‘Last year he was in Luis’s shadow and now he is not there it’s for Daniel to be Liverpool’s iconic No 9 for many years. We need him at the moment. We need him back from injury as soon as possible.’

Sturridge will not be back for Saturday’s game at Newcastle, nor for a forthcoming meeting with Chelsea. Gerrard and Liverpool must simply hope to defend better.

Conceding goals was a problem last season and it has continued this time. Their captain has been publicly critical at times, calling his team-mates ‘soft’ on TV after a Champions League defeat at Basle. ‘We were soft in Basle,’ he said without blinking. ‘No-one (on the team) has addressed it with me so I presume they agree.

‘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.

‘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.’

Sturridge wheels away in celebration after giving Liverpool a 2-1 lead against Southampton in August

The former England captain is hoping Sturridge can become Liverpool's next iconic No 9

Gerrard admitted his team were 'soft' during their 1-0 Champions League defeat against Basle

Saturday brings a trip to Newcastle but next week it’s Real Madrid and the Champions League. Liverpool’s 3-0 home defeat by the European champions nine days ago was chastening and Gerrard won’t hide from it. Nor will he attempt to play down the enduring genius of Ronaldo.

‘Coaches have always said to me there are times no tactics, or anything you can do, will stop quality football,’ he reflected. 

‘That first Madrid goal (at Anfield), very few in the world can finish that. I applaud that goal, a magical goal by a magical player. 

Ronaldo scored Real Madrid's first goal against Liverpool - which Gerrard admits was unstoppable

Ronaldo celebrates giving Madrid a 1-0 lead at Anfield in the Champions League Group B clash

‘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.’

As odd as it sounds, it will soon be 10 years since Gerrard led Liverpool to that remarkable Champions League victory in Istanbul in 2005. From 3-0 down to a ‘hands on the trophy’ moment and all kick-started by a Gerrard header.

‘It doesn’t seem that long, does it?’ he smiled. I ask if he gets sentimental and he says the right thing.

‘Football works in cycles,’ he said. ‘You can’t get close to Champions League finals every single year, it just doesn’t happen.

Gerrard insists his main focus is on being successful with Liverpool over the next seven months

‘There have been times since then when we have fallen short and I expected us to do better and it’s been unfortunate. But the past is the past and we move forward.

‘As I stand I have seven months left and I want that to be successful. That’s my focus, not what could have been 10 years ago. I don’t look back.’

But, I ask, do you ever reflect and wonder just how you did it that night in Istanbul?

‘Yep,’ he admits. ‘Most days, most days.'

Gerrard heads Liverpool's opening goal against Milan in 2005 and sparks that remarkable comeback

Gerrard admits he still wonders 'most days' about how Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005