I won three European Cups for Liverpool – it would have been a doddle to play in Premier League

Graeme Souness insists he would have no problems competing in the modern game.

The 70-year-old, who played for Liverpool between 1978 and 1984, was responding to a talkSPORT caller who told the former Anfield captain it's faster and more competitive than when he played.

Souness, who made 359 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and won five titles and the European Cup three times, insisted he would have relished the opportunity to test his skills against Declan Rice, Rodri and other leading midfielders.

"When I played and after I played, I accept things have changed, is it quicker? All our training was to do one or two touch on far inferior pitches to what they have today," he told White and Jordan on talkSPORT.

"Does that mean we have better technique? We were playing on plough fields, whereas the guys today play on carpets.

"We had smaller squads, and I think we won the league one year with 15 players in the squad."

Souness recalled the times when he and his Liverpool teammates would find it difficult to travel to matches, admitting it was a lot more tougher back then than it is today.

"I would play 65 games a season. I was never injured; I was suspended a couple of times, but I would play the vast majority of games," he added.

"We did not fly to places; we would get stuck on motorways and maybe not live the best of lifestyles.

"But I think it was tough to win the league back then; we could get beat by anyone on any day, and that is the same here.

"I remember, as it is today, three or four teams fighting for the league."

The legendary Scot wrote himself in Anfield's rich tapestry with honours he won and fans to this day still insist he is one the best the club has ever had.

Souness was known for being combative and strong in the challenge, and was always happy to defend his teammates and let the opposition know that they were in a game.

"Listen, to make a direct comparison, I would love to play today," he added.

"I think it would be an absolute doddle to play, an absolute doddle.

"I think midfield players today get away with murder; you see them, and some are regarded as proper midfield players.

"They get on the ball and pass it sideways; there are lots of them who have been bought for lots of big money."

He also remembers the time he was involved in training drills, and revealed what he was told by then trainer Ronnie Moran at the time.

"If you had come to Melwood, our training ground at Liverpool, and watched a small-sided game under Ronnie Moran, you know what the most common thing you would have heard?

"Play it forward, play it forward; he would stop the game and say, 'Look, I am 50; I can pass it sideways; you play it forward; look forward.'

"Today, this is what happens, and I had a term for it at Liverpool, and I fell foul in my second game at home.

"It would be rude of me to mention the term I had because it relates to a player who played at that time.

"What it meant was, 'don't be doing that here, son; you go back into the back four and take a nice easy pass, no pressure, and you pass it square'.

"The modern midfield player does it all the time now; they get the ball and then pass it out to the full-back under no pressure.

"If I had gone and sat in the back four and told Mark Lawrenson or Alan Hansen to give me the ball, they would have told me to f**** off."