Steven Gerrard's on-pitch fury once left an opposition player fearing he and his team-mates would need multiple ambulances on standby.
The Liverpool legend now cuts a calmer figure as the manager of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq. However, when he was on the pitch, Gerrard, 43, would often let his fiery temper get the better of him.
Many fans would recall Manchester United's 2015 visit to Anfield, when Gerrard was given a straight red card for stamping on Ander Herrera, 30 seconds after coming off the bench. While most fans could recall that incident, former Crewe Alexandra player and now manager Lee Bell, remembers an even angrier Gerrard in 2004.
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Bell faced Gerrard when the Liverpool skipper was flirting with a move away from the club. Throughout their pre-season match at Gresty Road, the midfielder was getting heckles and abuse from all angles. Unfortunately for the Crewe players, that only provoked him.
"There were rumours that Gerrard was leaving not long after Rafa Benitez came in as manager," Bell said in an interview with The Sun. "Stevie G had a face like thunder and went around like a chainsaw. [He was] chopping people down and was in a bad mood.
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"I thought: 'How can this guy not be in Rafa's plans?' I thought we were going to need four ambulances that day!"
Gerrard was heavily linked with a move to Jose Mourinho's dominant Chelsea side. After his heroic display against Olympiacos saved Liverpool's 2005 Champions League campaign, Gerrard gave the strongest hint he was looking for the exit door when he said: “If things aren’t looking good, I’ll have to see what happens in the summer.
“I’m 25 at the end of the season and I’ve got six or seven years left in me at the top level to win things, so hopefully the turnaround can happen quite sharpish. I’m in a difficult situation because I’m a fan myself. I want to win things at this football club, but I haven’t got time on my side.
"I can’t really wait three or four years for the club to be turned around and to be made into a title-winning side. I’m hoping that will happen from now until the end of the season and that, come the summer, we’ll be in next year’s title race. I’m not giving up now but look at the table.”
Gerrard went on to win the Champions League, the Europa League, two FA Cups and three League Cups on Merseyside.
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