I think because he didn't win the Prem he might be overlooked as one of the PL greatest. IMO, he's up there as one of the best ever. One of the most complete forwards I've ever seen and only Gerrard was one his level during the pre-Klopp era. That being said, I really dislike him as a person, doesn't look like he appreciate us much.
I think for me he is maybe the best player I have ever seen in a red shirt, and that includes even our current crop of World beating champions, and
that season he gave possibly one of the best individual seasons of any player in the Prem ever. I challenge anyone to find me a better single season highlight reel then that, and even that would miss off his consistently and absolutely dogged determination off the ball.
Although some of his on field antics are highly questionable, I didn´t take to heart his Barca antics against us as hard as some did. He rightly got pilloried at a feral pit of an Anfield, as did every other Barca player, and then they got spanked and sent home and reminded of what will never be replicated at the Camp Nou. And that's where it stops for me. We loved it when he did it for us (within limits anyway) so it is a bit rich to get all offended when he dishes it back. Love it or hate it it´s what he does, and he doesn´t do it personally. He´s a pantomime villain and always has been.
I think it is clear from his interviews that he still holds an affinity for Liverpool the club, Liverpool the city and Liverpool the people. His insane on-field antics have always been in stark contrast with his super chilled out off-field personality. He´s still very much a family man and this is where his kids spent their first years of life (he still says his daughter´s a little Scouser). For what its worth, I think he actually probably was a bit hurt to get such a hostile welcome, even if he did bring it on himself (and on a night like that I wouldn´t have wanted a single Barca player to receive anything less).