Crystal Palace and Newcastle United should be the 'next step' for Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, according to England legend Paul Merson.
Gerrard helped Rangers win the Scottish Premier League title this season, leading to speculation he could join Liverpool if Jurgen Klopp departs.
But Merson thinks it would be wise for Gerrard to take another job in English football.
"After a brilliant season at Rangers, I just can't see how clubs won't be coming after Steven Gerrard," Merson told Sky Sports.
"I look at teams like Crystal Palace, who are staying up, and Newcastle, if they stay up, and others, will they be knocking the door down for Gerrard?
"It's a different job at clubs like that. Rangers usually win around 75 per cent of their games and I know it is more than that this season, but at clubs in the lower half of the Premier League, you may only be winning 50 per cent of games.
"Then you've got to change, you've got to change your way. You are not just putting a team out every week, sitting there and enjoying it. I had it for a little while at Walsall during a run of winning six on the trot.
"You literally just sat there after three games and thought we won't lose. I used to just pick the team, sit there and enjoy it. That was just the way it was and it's been like that for Gerrard at Rangers this season.
"But, if he goes somewhere else - and he will have to if he wants to test himself in the best league in the world in the Premier League, even though Rangers are a great club - it's how he then copes with that.
"He will be managing a team potentially that's got to find a way to get to 40 points and he's a winner. That's where it is going to be hard for him because at the smaller clubs there are games where they don't expect to win, and they don't win.
"If you are a winner like Gerrard is and you go to an environment where it's just get to 40 points, and that's a success, that's going to be hard. Will that rock Gerrard's boat? He won't want to be taking a team to Manchester City and sitting with 10 men behind the ball. That will hurt him.
"His next step will probably be that, and that will be a big challenge for him, unless, say in a year or two, he gets the Liverpool job."
