Rafael Benitez hailed Steven Gerrard's contribution to Liverpool's past and insists his captain can play another 200 games at the top level for the Anfield club.

Gerrard will become only the 13th Liverpool player to reach the 500 games tally for the club when he leads the team at Blackburn tomorrow.

The Huyton-born midfielder, 30 next spring, will play at least another four years at the very top for his home-city club if he matches Benitez's assessment.

At Ewood Park he will once again be without his front-line colleague Fernando Torres, who will still not be risked as he recovers from a groin problem despite having taken part in three first-team training sessions this week.

So again it is predominantly down to Gerrard to continue the rescue act to salvage Liverpool's erratic season and Benitez knows the England man can do it.

Benitez said: "When Stevie is on top form, Liverpool can beat anyone."

He added: "To reach 500 games for one club is remarkable. Usually good players don't stay with one club. Bigger clubs with more money tempt them away.

"He is certainly one of the very best players I have ever worked with.

"When I was at Real Madrid I worked with people like Raul and many other very good players who did very well in the first team.

"Like them, Stevie is known as a top-class player all around the world.

"He has won a lot already in his career, but if we can win even more trophies with him he will go down as one of the best players in history."

Gerrard famously said in his autobiography he craved the day perfectionist Benitez just said "well done" to him.

So for Benitez to talk of his midfield inspiration as potentially one of the best players of all time, is praise indeed.

He said: "He is at a good age and is very professional. If we can keep him fit he can still play another 200 or more games for this club, hopefully at the same level he has shown for many years now.

"Steven is the kind of player that can make a difference in a game. We want him to keep doing that for another four years or so."

Ian Callaghan holds the all-time Liverpool record of 857 games and that is unlikely to be beaten by Gerrard, but he is now just 20 short of Kenny Dalglish's tally for the club.

Benitez said: "To play 500 games is a massive achievement for any player, especially at the same club.

"He has reached this stage by showing the same passion and commitment for many years. His loyalty to Liverpool is to be praised, few players do what he has done for his local club.

"Steven is a key player for us, the kind of player that can make a difference in a game.

"We have some important players but Stevie is one of those that, when he is playing well, the team can win any game. It doesn't matter if the other players aren't playing well, he can win a game for you with one special moment.

"Steven is capable of doing this for you. But you cannot win trophies with just one player, You need a team behind that player. But if you have a good team, players like Gerrard can make the difference.

"He's set very high standards but, of course, cannot play at the same level all the time. That is why he needs the team to be playing well with him.

"But by putting other good players around him he can be the best and you can be sure of winning more games."

He added: "When I moved to Liverpool he was one of the players I knew could help us.

"If you have quality in your players you know as a manager that you can do more with them. You can always improve players but it's not always easy when they are already at a very good level.

"Stevie was one of those players but I think he is better now because he has been learning for years.

"He has learned under different managers but for the past five years we have been talking a lot about different parts of his game and how he could improve. He has always been willing to learn.

"He is always learning and knows the game much better now than when I first came to the club."