England legend Sir Geoff Hurst has heaped praise upon Steven Gerrard as the Liverpool captain prepares to earn his 100th senior international cap.

The 32-year-old midfielder will become a Three Lions centurion when he leads Roy Hodgson's men out against Sweden in Stockholm tonight.

"I'll be delighted when Gerrard has reached his century of England caps," Hurst, who scored a match-winning hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final, told The Mirror. "He has been a credit to his country, and to Liverpool, for more than a decade.

"In fact, if you asked me to name the Premier League footballer who has given me the most pleasure, or who I would pay good money to watch, this century, Gerrard would be my choice.

"His range of passing, his knack of scoring important - and often spectacular - goals, and his ability to lift a whole team through his sheer force of willpower is a rare combination."

Hurst was capped 49 times by England between 1966 and 1972, scoring 24 goals.