Glory-hunter Gerrard won’t settle for second best

STEVEN GERRARD insists he will not accept “second best” by crashing out of the Champions League and into the UEFA Cup.

The importance of tonight’s Champions League showdown with Olympiacos to Liverpool and captain Gerrard has been underlined.

If Rafael Benitez’s men beat the Greek league leaders 1-0 or by two clear goals, they will progress to the final 16 of the tournament.

That will give them another £5m in prize money for the Spanish coach to spend in next month’s transfer window, and it will give their most prized asset the centre stage he craves.

Anything less, and that means being dumped into the UEFA Cup draw by the end of this week, will just add to the speculation and rumour about Gerrard’s future.

The England star, who turned down Chelsea in the summer, would become an instant target for Europe’s giants either in January, or more likely the end of the season.

He said: “This game is not about me and my future at Anfield. But I stated at the beginning of the season, and for a couple of years, that I want to play Champions League football, it’s as simple as that.

“I have won the UEFA Cup as a player and I have a lot of respect for that competition but unfortunately it plays second best now to the Champions League.

“As a player and for the club we do not want to settle for second best, we want to be involved in the Champions League.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s win or bust but it is a massive game for me personally and everybody associated to Liverpool.”

It is highly unlikely that Liverpool would ever consider selling Gerrard in January with so much else to play for, notably qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

But the pressure will mount if they fail against Olympiacos and then finish lower than last season’s fourth place finish in the Barclays Premiership.

Gerrard said: “It is not about me at the moment, it is about the whole team. Obviously I love playing in the Champions League but so do all the other boys. We all know how crucial it is for the club and for all of us individually.

“It is a massive game, this club belongs in the top competition, and that’s the Champions League, and we want to stay in it as long as possible, so this is a cup final for us.”

Liverpool will have top scorer Milan Baros back after three weeks out with a hamstring injury.