And the Liverpool manager says: “We have shown we can win without Steven. We have the quality, we can change players and have different options.
“That is positive when you talk about a long race to win a championship.
“The squad is better, and although Steven is a key player for us, very important and you always lose something when he is not playing, we have players with different qualities who can come in.”
Gerrard, meanwhile, has told the club he wants to sign a new contract when his current deal ends and intends to stay at the club for the rest of his career.
The 28-year-old, who is back in light training, made the announcement as he approaches the 10-year anniversary of his Liverpool debut next week.
And Gerrard says: “I do not know what is going to happen over the next 10 years but certainly for the next five or six I hope I am playing in Liverpool’s first team.
“I have two-and-a-half years left on my contract and hopefully I will sign another one and stay for the remainder of my career.
“We will have to wait and see about management but I certainly want to get my qualifications to enable me to coach and manage. Then I will have to decide what I want to do.”
Gerrard adds: “Whether I will be interested in the Gary Ablett (reserve coach) type role, the Sammy Lee (assistant manager) role or the Rafa Benitez role, I do not know.
“I just want to get all my badges and then we will see. But I have a lot more football to play before we get to that stage and that is what I want to focus on at the moment.”
Of his relationship with Benitez, Gerrard reveals: “Rafa is the type of manager where you finish the game as man of the match, having scored three, but in the dressing room he won’t mention it.
“He’ll mention that you never used your left foot at a certain point! Which is why he’s the manager he is, one of the best.
“Managers are changing and going towards Rafa’s way of things. Years ago it was all about pats on the back, man-management. Now the game’s more technical and tactical.
“I’m in my last five or six years, I want the manager to keep driving me on. I don’t think I’m going to get another 10% or 20% better as a player, the challenge is to maintain standards.”
