Bill Shankly and Kenny Dalglish are the most influential Kop figures; Shankly for establishing Liverpool among the European giants, Dalglish for his immense contribution as player and manager through triumph and tragedy.

Gerrard may eventually get the chance to sit alongside them as a legendary manager, too. No matter how much he casts sentiment aside for the 90 minutes – and he will – there is no doubt that in his heart he does not expect this to be the only time he returns as manager, and he will not always want to be standing in front of the away dugout. That’s for the future. This weekend is all about Anfield acknowledging Gerrard’s past.

There are countless reasons why he will be granted an amazing reception. We can list the brilliant goals, assists and performances. But if you want to break it down, you can trace it to the decision he made 16 years ago when, after a sleepless night, he decided not to leave Liverpool for Chelsea.

That loyalty was always going to be rewarded over time. Today will be a moment to appreciate why he made the right choice, walking out in front of 52,000 ‘opposition’ fans and feeling overwhelmed by the sense of homecoming.

You cannot buy that level of respect. It is not engraved on any winners’ medals. It does not come because you lifted a Champions League trophy. It is more valuable even than the Premier League title that sadly eluded Gerrard in his prime. Some things mean more.

Like Stevie, I am forever hearing about that one major honour which eluded us as Liverpool players. It makes me laugh to hear Gerrard judged on that criteria. He was a better player than 99 per cent of those who have won the Premier League, and thousands of footballers who have won their domestic title will never get anywhere close to the esteem and adulation earned by Gerrard.

Everyone knows he could have left Anfield. Not just to Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, but to Real Madrid, Inter Milan and the numerous other top European clubs who pursued him throughout his peak years, and would have guaranteed league titles. He would have improved any side. Few, if any, could have had the impact he had on the Liverpool teams he represented. His goals in the UEFA Cup Final, Champions League Final, FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, or the history-changer against Olympiacos, are standout moments. It is the entire package – Gerrard, the home-grown legend dedicating his career to Liverpool – that secured his Kop immortality.

Those on the Kop singing Gerrard’s name even though he is trying to beat Liverpool this weekend acknowledge what he did for them over 710 games, and what he represented by giving fans a sense of hope when the club was always playing catch-up.

As his friend, team-mate and vice-captain, there were many times I felt indebted to Stevie for staying and ensuring we won cups and maintained our Champions League status.

We’re different characters. I was the shouty one. He has always been more prone to quiet periods of self-analysis and self-criticism, while embracing the need to lead and inspire those around him. All top footballers have an ego to some degree. Not necessarily big-headedness or arrogance, but that sense of being good enough to play at the highest level for club and country. You need that belief to perform, and when you play as often as we did for a team like Liverpool it is not without justification.

Gerrard had confidence balanced by that constant drive and determination for him and the team to keep moving forward. Where I could lose patience with underperforming team-mates, he tended to be more understanding. He often made those around him look better.

There are only three or four times I recall him really losing his temper as a captain. He had the man-management touch with the rest of the squad – something he learned under Gerard Houllier – where he was keen to ensure everyone was comfortable in and around the club. Frankly, I couldn’t care less how happy players were off the pitch so long as they delivered on it.

Ten or 20 years ago, my direct approach was perceived as more suited to management. That’s why so many predicted I would be the future coach, not Stevie. In retrospect, Stevie’s way is far more in tune with the modern game. It makes sense we have taken different career paths.

Gerrard is approaching his coaching journey as he did as a player; he could be a worrier – sure of his ability but humble enough to know he must absorb the knowledge of others to get to where he wants. That desire to listen to others might sound obvious. For legendary players, I am not sure it is. When you have the stature and aura of a Gerrard, it is easy to get lost within your name, assuming greatness as a player will naturally apply as a manager. For Stevie, deferring to those who have put in the years of hard yards on the training ground is a leadership skill, not a weakness.

Last week I was invited to Villa training HQ and saw how he operates. His assistant, Michael Beale, is outstanding and has been an invaluable part of Gerrard’s developing coaching career.

“After I finished playing at 35, how could I expect to immediately become a great manager without help?” Stevie told me.

The attention to detail extended as far as breaking down each element of a session so the players were informed via TV screens in the dressing-room and around the training HQ exactly what they will be doing and when – a far cry from when we were players when the first we knew of that morning’s practice was when in a circle around the coaches on the pitch.

Seeing Gerrard observing workouts from the touchline reminded me more of Houllier, who liked to oversee as part of a coaching team, than Rafa Benitez, who wanted to be in full control of every session.

There is no reason why Gerrard cannot one day join Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte in the list of those who won the Champions League as players and went on to become successful managers. That suggestion brings a lot of pressure, but why not?

Gerrard made more top-level club appearances than Guardiola and Conte, and featured in more international games. Like them, he has fully immersed himself into the coaching world from the bottom up.

The main quality he has is his desire to be the best he can be, never settling for second best. We will discover in time if this leads him to the level of a coach who wins Premier League and European titles – the size and resources of the clubs he manages will also influence that – but there is no reason why he cannot be part of the next generation of elite managers. If that happens, the anticipation will always be there that Liverpool is his ultimate destination. Whatever he says, and despite his commitment to Villa, he will want it to be.

When he takes his place in the Anfield technical area insisting affection is secondary to three points, you better believe him. That was true for Dalglish when he returned as Blackburn and Newcastle manager.

It makes for the strangest emotions for 90 minutes as, for the first time in his life, Gerrard tries to get the better of the club he loves.

Those who idolised him as a player and hope the day comes when he returns as manager could not want or expect it any other way.