Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has drawn comparisons between Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Steven Gerrard.

Loftus-Cheek managed to impress many with his fine performances for the England national team during their encounters against Germany and Brazil over the last fortnight.

"His best position is in midfield - and that's another thing, people want to pigeon-hole players," said the Eagles manager. "People thought Steven Gerrard was a number ten so he can only play in this position. I didn't see that. I thought Steven could play anywhere in midfield and I think Ruben can play anywhere in midfield.

"You want him in midfield, in a position where he can get the ball and get involved in the game. Pigeon-holing him, that he can only be in this position, I feel that would take away a lot of the options that are at his disposal.

"We want him to play in the midfield and midfielders need to be fluid, so he'll need to make certain that he can cover that midfield, front to back and side to side.

"And he's quite happy to do that. He did it against Tottenham particularly well and it could be a mistake if people are going to suggest that the only position he's going to be good at is this one because he might find that there's someone else in that position who is equally good or maybe even slightly better and has got more experience.

"Then he's going to have to sit and watch from the sidelines because people are saying - and by that I mean the mass media - are saying he can only play in that position.

"People said Frank Lampard and Gerrard couldn't play together, and that you've got to choose one or the other, so one sits on the bench and watches the other play. I would have played them together."