Steven Gerrard claimed he wanted ‘Manchester United to die’ in his recent autobiography, but his team mate Jamie Carragher has gone for a different approach. Rather than wishing harm on United, he is actually full of praise for our manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

“It would be more of an achievement as manager because it would come about through my decisions,” says Carragher in his first book, Carra My Autobiography. “It’s like the ultimate football man’s dream to be better than Ferguson because he is the master. I just hope he hangs around long enough to wait for me. I’ve got more respect for Ferguson than anyone else in the game. He’s like a Scouser, really. He’s funny, doesn’t mind telling people to f*** off, and he even votes Labour. I love him.”

Aww, how sweet.

I can’t imagine this interview has gone down too well with the scousers. Apart from confessing his love and respect for Fergie, he goes on to state that he was a massive Everton fan as a child and a teenager.

“I was an Everton fanatic right through my childhood and teens,” he said. “Everton controlled my life and dominated my thoughts 24/7. I went to the away games, followed them across Europe and in the mid-80s went to Wembley so often it began to feel like Alton Towers. When I talk about that Everton team I still say ‘we’. Even when I was playing for Liverpool reserves I’d want Everton’s first team to win the derby every time.”

Carragher, who Liverpool fans believe is Liverpool through and through, admits it was only in 1999 when he finally turned his back on his Everton support, aged 21-years-old. When drinking in a local pub after a defeat to United, he was branded ‘a dirty Kopite’, leaving him ‘drained’ and ‘demoralised’.

“I couldn’t take it,” he said. “People who I thought loved me, were getting off on my misery so I turned around and walked out. They hadn’t done anything wrong. They were just being themselves and they’re still my mates. But it was over. When I walked out of that pub I turned my back on Everton for good.”

The official Liverpool FC website refers to him as “Mr Liverpool”. What? A player who supported Everton less than 10 years ago? Who are they trying to kid?