Steven Gerrard sees Rangers ascendancy hyped in next Liverpool boss pitch as ally brushes 2 CV failures aside

Former Liverpool star Yossi Benayoun has tipped Steven Gerrard to become the next Liverpool boss - as he namechecked his Rangers rise as a key factor.

The Anfield icon left Ibrox for Aston Villa after claiming the Premiership title and ending almost a decade of dominance for Celtic at the summit of Scottish football. However, he was shown the door at Villa Park after just 11 months in charge in his first experience as an English Premier League manager. The 43-year-old is now attempting to rebuild his managerial reputation in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq.

However, things have not gone to plan so far in the Middle East with the club languishing in eighth spot in the table despite big-money deals last summer for the likes of former Celtic stars Moussa Dembele and Jack Hendry, ex-Liverpool duo Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum as well as former Everton player Demarai Gray. Henderson has already cut short his time in Saudi for a move to Ajax - while Ettifaq have won just one game in four months.

But Benayoun swerved Gerrard's Pro League troubles while glossing over his Villa tenure as he touted him as the right man to replace Jurgen Klopp when he leaves at the end of the season - while also namechecking Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso. He told The Mail on Sunday: 'For me it has to be someone with an identify to Liverpool.

"If they can bring someone like Xabi [Alonso], or and this might be a surprise, someone like Steven Gerrard, one of them will continue what Klopp has built because they know the club. Xabi is a good friend of mine and I can see why people are speaking about him as a Liverpool manager.

"It didn't work well at Aston Villa for Stevie but he did a great job at Rangers. He deserves a chance to be