“He was probably the toughest to play against” - Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott offers opinion on Scholes vs Lampard vs Gerrard debate 

Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has made his pick between Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, and Steven Gerrard. He picked the Liverpool legend over the other two, saying that he had a better all-round game and was harder to play against.

Gerrard, Scholes, and Lampard were key figures for Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea, respectively, during their playing days. They racked up immense numbers with their clubs, winning numerous trophies. They also formed part of the England squad, which was known as the 'Golden Generation'.

However, fans and pundits have always engaged in a debate about who was the better player between the trio. Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has shared his thoughts on the comparison, saying (via Give Me Sport):

“I’ve seen Scholes play a lot but I just think when you play with and against certain players, you see different things - particularly in training.

"I would say Gerrard was probably the toughest to play against because, for me, he was all-round in the sense that he loved to defend, he loved to put a tackle in, he was very passionate - quiet off the field, but on the field he was not quiet - he could finish, he had a presence around him where every single pass was beautiful and exceptional.”

Walcott also heaped praise on Lampard and his ability to make a difference but eventually picked Gerrard over him, saying:

“For me, Gerrard would just beat Lampard, although Lampard was a game-changer. He had an aura around him and [commanded] respect. When he would speak, particularly off the field, you would listen. He was really insightful and an absolute goalscorer. He wasn’t as much of a tackler like Steven Gerrard, who had that passion, but he was a game-changer.

"But if I had to pick, I would pick Gerrard above all of them."

The Arsenal man played twice against Scholes during his playing career and 10 times each against Gerrard and Lampard.

---

Arsenal star could be out for at least 3 weeks due to injury

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with Norway in the UEFA Nations League on September 9. In their 2-1 win over Austria, he had to be subbed off in the 67th minute after he appeared to have twisted his ankle.

As per Norway's team doctor (via Jan Aage Fjortoft), Odegaard could be out of action for up to three weeks at least, if not more. The midfielder could even be a doubt for the next international break, which is a month away. For Arsenal, meanwhile, he will miss their upcoming North London Derby against rivals Tottenham Hotspur away on Sunday, September 15.

If he's out for three weeks, Odegaard will also miss their Premier League clashes against Manchester City (A), Leicester City (H) and Southampton (H). He will also be unavailable for their UEFA Champions League clashes against Atalanta (A) and Paris Saint-Germain (H) and the EFL Cup third-round clash against Bolton (H).