‘I played with Frank Lampard at Chelsea and we never lost.. but I’d still rather line up alongside Steven Gerrard’

STEVE SIDWELL says he’d rather play with Steven Gerrard than ex-Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard.

The former Blues midfielder spent one season at Stamford Bridge during the 2007/08 campaign, playing 25 times under Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant.

Steve Sidwell says he’d rather play alongside Steven Gerrard than Frank Lampard[/caption]

Sidwell did not land a trophy during his brief time at Chelsea, with the club losing the Champions League final to Manchester United on penalties.

But the former Reading star did get the chance to line up alongside fan favourite Lampard no less than 12 times.

Incredibly, Chelsea did not lose a single game in regulation time with the pair together in midfield.

Yet Sidwell chose to ignore his pal and instead plump for Liverpool rival Gerrard in a dream team.

Appearing on Peter Crouch’s podcast, Sidwell was asked who he would prefer to play alongside.

The retired ace, who also played for Aston Villa, Fulham, Stoke and Brighton, pondered the question for a moment.

But he quickly decided it was Gerrard who took the nod due to his all-action style.

Sidwell said: “If it’s me and one other, no doubt, Stevie is unbelievable. He can do absolutely everything.

“Frank was the deadliest scoring midfielder I’ve ever played with.

“If I have to pick in terms of who I would partner best, I’m a holding midfielder that gives license to Frank to go and score goals.

“He did it in his career, he didn’t have to defend. If I did it with Stevie I think he’d still get back and defend as well.

“It would give him more goals too. I think I’d have to go with Stevie on that one.

“I played with Frank and his timings off the ball and runs into the box, he just sort of ghosted and scored goals.

“But Stevie would be a perfect match because if the other team was on top he’d come inside and batten down the hatches with me.”