Gerrard not relishing spotlight ahead of farewell

As he prepares to make his final Anfield appearance, Steven Gerrard is not revelling in the heightened attention surrounding his upcoming departure.

Liverpool host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, in what is sure to be an emotional farewell as Gerrard bows out in front of his home supporters.

The former England captain will move to LA Galaxy at the end of the season, bringing an end to a 17-year playing career at Anfield, which has seen him make more than 700 appearances.

“I’m going to get the attention at the weekend, it’s not something I really like, but hopefully I can put in a good performance for the supporters so we can get a win and I can enjoy the send-off that I’m going to get,” he told the club’s official website.

“It’s going to be a difficult day but I’m going to try and enjoy it.

“It’ll be strange, I’m sure it will. It’ll be an emotional day for me and my family and friends that have followed me throughout my career.

“And also for a lot of supporters that have watched me for many, many years, not just at the stadium but around the world as well.

“Everyone’s talking about it but for me I just want to stay focused on the remaining games and the training and sessions ahead. 

“There’s plenty of time to be sentimental and emotional after the games are done but I don’t really want to listen to supporters being emotional face to face because I’m a little bit afraid of breaking down and showing too much!”