If you asked for the top 10 Liverpool players of the Premier League era a decade ago, the answers would have been far easier. But then Jurgen Klopp arrived, alongside what are now club legends at Anfield, making a top 10 far more difficult to decide.
Of course, there are still some obvious names who simply must get a place in this list. Yet, it must be said, some will be unlucky to miss out on a place. The fact is, Klopp’s arrival signalled the introduction of the most talented Liverpool squad that fans have seen in the Premier League era.
With that said, despite the depth of talent created thanks to Klopp, we’ve had a go of ranking Liverpool’s greatest players of the Premier League era.
10) Thiago Alcantara
In truth, if Thiago Alcantara had been at Liverpool longer by now, he would have been in the top five of this list, at the very least.
The Spanish midfielder is the pure definition of elegance, with his technical ability amongst the best to ever be on show in front of the Kop.
The elegance that he brings to the centre of midfield helps Liverpool move the ball forward and create chances.
They’d be so much worse off without him.
9) Sadio Mane
It feels incredibly controversial to place Sadio Mane so low in this list, but it just sums up Liverpool’s lengthy list of world class stars to perfection.
The Senegal international bowed out of the Premier League in the summer, moving to Bayern Munich.
The winger left having scored 90 Premier League goals in 196 games for the club.
Not bad for a punt on a player who was shining at Southampton.
8) Trent Alexander-Arnold
Come the end of his Liverpool career, Trent Alexander-Arnold may just find himself top of this list, he’s simply that good.
At just 23-years-old, the academy graduate has won everything there is to win in club football.
What were you doing at 23? In fact, it’s probably worth asking what most footballers managed to have achieved by the time they reached Alexander-Arnold’s age.
The answer? Likely not nearly as much.
7) Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino has a unique place in Liverpool history.
If you search the constantly-growing book of Liverpool history, you won’t find a player even remotely similar to the Brazilian.
He may just go down as the best false nine in Premier League history. Now edging past his peak, it’s worth remembering just how good Firmino was at his best, with a total of 78 goals and 54 assists in the league.
6) Fernando Torres
Remember when I said this list would have been far easier a decade ago?
Well, Fernando Torres wishes this was a decade ago, because, if it was, a place in the top three would have been his.
As it is, however, the Spaniard has to settle for a lower, but respectable place to match his ranking as one of the best strikers to play for Liverpool.
Scoring 64 goals in 101 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, Torres was a goal machine at Anfield.
5) Robbie Fowler
The earliest Liverpool star of the Premier League era to feature on this list, Robbie Fowler is a true Anfield legend, having scored the sixth most goals in all competitions in Liverpool’s all time list, with 182.
Of those 182, 127 came in the Premier League for the Reds.
Of course, Fowler came through the Liverpool academy and made his first-team breakthrough in 1993; he would stay with the club until 2001, when he joined Leeds United.
He would return to the Reds for a swansong in the 2006/07 season.
4) Mohamed Salah
Speaking of goalscorers, Mohamed Salah is one of the best that the Premier League has ever seen, with three Golden Boots to his name – including one record-breaking 32-goal campaign.
By the time he calls it a day at Anfield, the Egyptian King will likely go down as the top scorer in Premier League history for Liverpool.
As things stand, he’s just two goals away from first-placed Fowler’s tally of 128.
It’ll only take one more hat-trick for Salah to become the record-holder.
3) Luis Suarez
If it wasn’t for Luis Suarez’s wrongdoings, there’s a high chance that he’d be remembered as one of the greatest strikers in the history of world football by the time he retires; he’s had that good of a career.
For longevity reasons, Suarez can’t place higher than third on this list, but, in truth, he is arguably the most talented player to feature for the Reds in Premier League history, scoring 69 goals in 110 league games.
Having been snapped up from Ajax, he went on to spearhead a charge at the Premier League title under Brendan Rodgers’ management, before eventually leaving for Barcelona.
He has continued scoring goals ever since.
2) Virgil van Dijk
Has there ever been a player as impactful as Virgil van Dijk on a side?
The Dutchman arrived for £75 million in January of 2018, before transforming the Liverpool backline – helping to turn what were nearly men into Champions League winners and Premier League champions.
Nostalgia won’t place him top of the all time Premier League defenders list for now, but, come his retirement, Liverpool’s dominant centre-back will likely sit comfortably atop.
His form may have fallen off somewhat but, at his best, Van Dijk is one of the best centre-backs we’ve ever seen.
1) Steven Gerrard
There was never going to be any other player at the top of this list, let’s face it.
Steven Gerrard, no matter who has featured for Liverpool since, remains the greatest that Anfield has seen in the Premier League, and perhaps even all time.
He may not have won the Premier League, but, simply put, he dragged the Reds through times to forget, picking up silverware along the way.
He was central to their Champions League triumph in 2005, and their FA Cup win over West Ham United. What a player.
A special mention goes to the likes of Alisson Becker and Xabi Alonso, who were unlucky to miss out, but we did warn you, our top 10 was always going to be difficult to choose. It’s only gonna get more competitive, too, as long as Klopp is in charge. Every season, we see more players make their case for ranking so highly at Anfield.
It would take quite something to displace Gerrard as the greatest to feature in the Premier League for Liverpool, but, something tells us that a certain Scouse right-back may have a chance of doing so come the end of his career.
