'I played with Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard – there's no doubt about who is better'

There aren’t too many players better qualified to settle the Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard debate than Michael Owen. The former England goal machine played extensively alongside both midfield heavyweights during the course of his glittering career.

He and Gerrard were in Liverpool’s senior dressing room together for six years, and began their rise through the youth ranks together long before that. Owen and Lampard, meanwhile, were England team-mates between 1999 and 2008.

Lampard is seen by many as the ultimate goal-scoring midfielder, finding the net 211 times in 648 games during a spell at Chelsea which was sandwiched between an apprenticeship at West Ham and a late-career flourish with Manchester City and New York City FC.

Gerrard was revered for his all-round game across more than 700 matches for Liverpool, who he helped win a Champions League and five domestic trophies. Both players boast more than a century of Three Lions caps and are in triple digits for Premier League goals.

Lampard’s CV includes three Premier League titles, putting him 3-0 up over Gerrard in that department. But many credit the Liverpool man for hauling the club through testing periods single-handedly.

It’s a debate that’s tough to settle on paper, but Owen looks back on his career with a clear view as to which was the superior midfield talent.

He told Express Sport, in association with AceOdds: “I admire Frank Lampard massively because I think if there’s ever a player that has fought their way to the top against a lot of adversity, possibly not having as much natural ability as some other players as well, but being the first player on the pitch, being the last player off it, putting the work in, practicing, literally getting absolutely every last little bit out of your career through real hard work, then I think Frank Lampard gets top marks.

“I absolutely admire Frank unbelievably for that. But in terms of sheer, raw quality and natural ability, then Steven Gerrard in my eyes is probably better than anything that England has produced in midfield.

“He was quicker than virtually everyone, he was stronger than virtually anyone, he had better vision than virtually everyone, he could pass it and score and assist better than virtually everybody, and he was just the most all-round, incredible talent.

“I think Steven Gerrard is the best midfielder I’ve ever played with, or I’ve ever seen really in terms of a central midfielder. I think Steven Gerrard is just an absolute beast.”