Monday 18 May 2015 09:15, UK
Steven Gerrard's departure is "premature," Jason Burt told the Sunday Supplement.
Gerrard played his last home game for his only club on Saturday afternoon in the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace and said an emotional farewell to the Anfield crowd.
But the Telegraph's Burt believes the man who is heading to Major League Soccer with the LA Galaxy could have stayed in the Premier League for another season.
"It is the end of an era," Burt said. "I think it's the biggest thing that's happened to Liverpool since Bill Shankly."
"It was a very difficult afternoon for Liverpool all-round and the result of the game itself kind of summed it all up really.
It is the end of an era; I think it’s the biggest thing that’s happened to Liverpool since Bill Shankly.
"For me it's the unsatisfactory nature of the way he’s leaving the club and I feel it is premature. I think they could’ve got at least one more season out of him.
"Towards the end of the game against Crystal Palace, you have that vision of him trying to chase the game, trying to drive them forward trying to get that goal and it summed up his career for me."
Gerrard has played more 700 games for the Reds and is seen as a local hero by the fans who sang his name throughout the game and then stayed to applaud him after the final whistle.
"It was very emotional; people took to their seats very early and the stadium was full very early on. It kind of overshadowed everything to a certain extent," Burt added.
The former England international will play his last game for the club at Stoke's Britannia Stadium on May 24.
