He cheered Steven Gerrard on from the terraces in the Kop and rubbed shoulders with him on the training ground – but tonight MJ Williams will be looking to knock his childhood hero out of the Carabao Cup.

The Liverpool-mad midfielder lived the dream by coming through the youth ranks at Anfield, earning a debut for the Reds under Brendan Rodgers in 2014.

By then, Gerrard – now in the dugout at Aston Villa – was coming to the end of his illustrious career on Merseyside but Williams says the short time he spent in his company has left an indelible mark on his own football life.

“He was my hero growing up,” he told The Bolton News. “I have seen some special goals that he scored and he has given us some special nights – especially in the Champions League – and it’ll be an honour to play against his team.

“Spending time with him when I first started out with the Liverpool first team you could tell how clever he was on football. Seeing him train every day he was just on another level.

“He did a lot for the younger players at Liverpool and he could be hard as well. If you were not up to standard he would tell you.

“I got on well and was lucky enough to spend four or five months with him. Every day he’d come in and be so professional, first there on the training pitch, and he was on another level to anyone else.

“Off the pitch he went home, relaxed, did whatever he had to do, there was no massive ego about him at all. But when you trained or played with him he was a massive presence.

“He’d walk in the room and you’d know about it.”

Gerrard has said he will name a strong side for the Carabao Second Round, not that some of his second string would present any less of a challenge, says Williams.

“If you are in the Aston Villa squad you are a top player. You are at a top Premier League team. So whatever team they put out tomorrow night you have to be ready for the challenge.

“We want to progress and have a cup run. There’s nothing to lose for us so we’ll do everything we can to get a win.”

Gerrard has been in charge at Villa for just 284 days but is already coming under some scrutiny after a run of three wins in the club’s last 14 games.

Defeats against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace this season have left him looking to the cup for a bit of cheer but Williams maintains that Bolton fancy their chances of a shock result on the TV.

“We fancy beating anyone at home,” he said. “Saturday was frustrating because our home form has been absolutely brilliant since January but we are still confident, we have the fans, and I think we play at home with a high tempo. Any team coming here knows they have a massive challenge, and it won’t be any different for Aston Villa on Tuesday night.”