Anthony Gordon sensationally reveals that a former Liverpool icon is his footballing hero… despite the ex-Everton winger once insisting he ‘lives and breathes’ the Toffees

Anthony Gordon has revealed a Liverpool icon was his football hero growing up, despite the former Everton winger once insisting he ‘lived and breathed’ the Toffees.

The 23-year-old started his football career in Liverpool’s youth academy before making the switch to Everton at the age of 11.

He rose through the ranks at Finch Farm, graduating into the first team before completing a £40million move to Newcastle in 2023 – a deal which soured relations between him and some Everton fans. Gordon had refused to train at the club before telling the Merseyside squad he would not return amid interest from Newcastle.

Nevertheless, the winger, who hails from Liverpool, has gone from strength to strength after his move. He recently earned his first England senior cap for Gareth Southgate’s side, while he has scored 11 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies this season.

Gordon, speaking about The Overlap, brought to you by Sky bethas now revealed who his football hero is, with Gary Neville interestingly telling how he looked up to an ex-Liverpool star when he was younger.

Gordon spent 11 years at Everton, initially joining from Liverpool’s youth academy in 2012

“Steven Gerrard was my football hero growing up,” he said on The Overlap. ‘Coming from Liverpool he was like a God in Liverpool, and he was an incredible player.’

The ex-Liverpool captain is widely regarded as one of the club’s and the Premier League’s best midfielders of all time. Gerrard scored 186 goals in 710 appearances for the Reds, while also guiding them to Champions League glory in 2005.

Gordon, who has already scored 10 goals in the Premier League for Newcastle this season, now has one eye on securing a place in Southgate’s England squad at this summer’s European Championship.

He revealed to Mail Sport in March that he has not yet booked a summer holiday because he wants to play for England in Germany. Having featured in England’s recent friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, Gordon has an excellent chance of making the squad, especially given his excellent form.

And speaking about what motivates him, the 23-year-old revealed he is inspired by the mentality of another Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who praised the Liverpool forward as ‘an absolute machine’.

‘My confidence comes from my preparation. I don’t know where it comes from, I wouldn’t say anyone around me is anything like that. I just love learning things, and throughout my years growing up, I enjoyed learning about psychology.

‘There may be people doing the same thing as me, there may be a lot of people who just haven’t talked about it.

Gordon, who hails from Merseyside, revealed that Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard was his hero growing up

Gordon scored seven goals in 78 appearances for the Toffees during his time at Goodison

He angered some Everton supporters when he refused to train during a move to Newcastle

“Some footballers like to think less, just turn up and play and trust their instincts. I just like the mentality of getting myself to that place before I even get there.

‘I saw Mo Salah talking about it – I was even more interested in that because I see him as an absolute machine and a winner. When you have people like that, you don’t go too far wrong if you follow what they do.”

Gordon, meanwhile, helped Everton avoid relegation under Frank Lampard in 2022, including their epic 3-2 win against Crystal Palace, which ultimately helped the Toffees avoid defeat, going on to score seven goals in 78 senior appearances for the club before he left.

Upon leaving the club, Everton released a three-line statement announcing Gordon’s departure, something which Gordon later admitted had ‘hurt’ him.

The winger has since become a standout in Eddie Howe’s side, scoring 12 goals in 59 appearances.

He also revealed that Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah’s mentality had also inspired him

Gordon is now eyeing a place in Gareth Southgate’s European Championship squad after his England debut

“I’ve played at Everton all my life,” he said Air sports. “I grew up in Everton, it was a huge place in my heart and my life that I will never forget. And from a distance, I will always root for them and always wish them the best.

‘When things like that happen [fans turning on squad], which is difficult for me to recover from, especially because that’s where I come from. I grew up in those streets.”

On Everton’s statement, he added: ‘It hurt me a bit, I’m not going to lie. I thought that, as a club with thousands of people working for them and the effort I gave them last year, I played a big role in keeping the club afloat, becoming player’s player and manager’s player of the year.

“So for them not to even pay me any respect or thank me for anything kind of hurt me a little bit.”

Anthony Gordon spoke on The OveRshot, brought to you by Sky bet.