Landon Donovan said Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard may have misjudged the difficulties of adapting to Major League Soccer.

Gerrard signed for Galaxy in an 18-month deal that started in July and Lampard agreed a two-year deal at NYC FC that began the same month.

Neither Gerrard or Lampard made as much of an impact as expected.

“They have been perceived well but it’s not easy," said Donovan. "Sometimes people have this impression that you can go there and it will be easy – people from the outside. The players will tell you ––and I think Steven has spoken about it openly – it’s quite difficult. Not because there is more quality from Liverpool but it’s difficult to travel and the pace of the game is fast.”

Donovan retired in December of 2014.

“The Premier League is probably the fastest in the world but the pace [in the US] is faster than you realise. There are a lot of different issues so I think both of them will come back next year and be more prepared and make a much bigger impact.”