Former Liverpool manager Roy Evans has hit back at comments from Zlatan Ibrahimovic claiming that Steven Gerrard should leave Anfield, according to reports from talkSPORT.

The Swedish striker hinted earlier this week that the midfielder has underachieved with the Premier League club and should have considered moving on to a “big international team” earlier in his career.

But Evans believes that these comments are wide of the mark and that the 32-year-old is an icon at his club:

“Zlatan Ibrahimovic is trying to make out Steven Gerrard’s never won a trophy at Liverpool,

“He’s won the Champions League and FA cups, while the Premier League has eluded us unfortunately. Why would he want to go anywhere else?

“If he felt there was a challenge somewhere then maybe [he’d leave] and people wouldn’t think of him as a traitor for Liverpool, he’s been great for us. I can’t see him moving though, I’d be very surprised.

“I don’t like to call people legends before they’ve finished playing but Steve Gerrard has become a living legend during his playing days at Liverpool.”

Gerrard has come close to leaving the Reds on a few occasions, most notably in the summer of 2005 as Chelsea made a big money offer for his signature.

He eventually rejected their advances, citing that his love for the club was key to his decision.