An EPL Liverpool XI to match the best

EPL

LIVERPOOL

tOTTENHAM

 

If you had said to me in May 1990 that Liverpool would fail to claim another championship over the next quarter of a century or so, I'd have thought you were mad.

Liverpool dominated the footballing landscape throughout my childhood and I, like an enormous amount of non-Reds fans across the country, was desperate for the Anfield club to be knocked off their lofty perch - an ambition that a certain Scottish knight of the realm would soon realise.

This season it looked as though the Reds could finally reclaim their place at the top table of English football, but a shocking start to 2017 has scuppered their title bid.

Despite their lack of success in the Premier League era, Liverpool have fielded some wonderful players in the years since their last championship win under Kenny Dalglish.

If you housed the best of those players in the same dressing room, then you'd have a starting line-up that was a match for any team on the planet.

Ahead of Liverpool's huge game with Spurs, here is my all-time Reds Premier League XI.

FORMATION: 4-2-3-1

GOALKEEPER: 

BRUCE GROBBELAAR

I once played alongside Grobbelaar for a Liverpool Legends XI against a Grenada All-Stars team in the Caribbean, so this particular choice owes a huge amount to pure cronyism.

I make no apologies for picking Bruce; even at the age of 59 he'd have done better than Simon Mignolet for Hull's first goal last weekend.

RIGHT BACK:
ROB JONES

On his Liverpool debut, Jones produced a wonderfully accomplished performance as he marked a certain Ryan Giggs out of the game at Old Trafford.

Alas, injuries curtailed his progress and he was forced to retire at a criminally young age.

CENTRE HALF:
JAMIE CARRAGHER

Carragher was unfortunate to play in the same era as John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, otherwise he'd have a bucket-load of England caps to his name.

His backs-to-the-wall performance in the 2005 Champions League final was perhaps the greatest defensive display I've seen.

CENTRE HALF:
JAVIER MASCHERANO

Mascherano very rarely, if ever, played at the back during his all-too-brief Liverpool career, but if Barcelona are prepared to utilise him at centre half, then so am I.

LEFT BACK:
JOHN ARNE RIISE:

For a couple of seasons, the marauding Norwegian was one of the very best fullbacks in the business.

And I wouldn't want to get in the way of his trademark long-range strikes either.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER:
STEVEN GERRARD

Surely the finest Premier League player to never lift the EPL title.

Stevie G had everything you'd want in a footballer and will rightly go down as an all-time Anfield great.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER:
XABI ALONSO

Comfortable in possession, with the vision to pick out teammates with sublime passes, Alonso was also a tough cookie who loved a tackle.

Such a shame for Liverpool that his relationship with Rafa Benitez soured, amid speculation that the manager wanted to replace Alonso with, err, Gareth Barry.

LEFT FORWARD:
PHILIPPE COUTINHO

The only current player to make the team, although Sadio Mane would be on the bench.

The Brazilian is one of those rare players who can lift you off your seat with a breathtaking piece of skill.

NUMBER 10:
LUIS SUAREZ

If you add the Uruguayan to the current Liverpool team, they'd surely give Chelsea a run for their money.

A special player who could win games single-handedly.

The fact that he hasn't looked out of place alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar highlights what a fabulous footballer he is.

INSIDE FORWARD:
STEVE MCMANAMAN

Robbie Fowler said of McManaman: "I've played with many, many great players.

"Paul Gascoigne was fantastic. John Barnes, Ian Rush, Jan Molby, Ronnie Whelan and Steven Gerrard - he would probably be my No. 2. But the best player I've ever played with is Steve McManaman... He really was that good."

STRIKER:
FERNANDO TORRES

Torres' career has been tarnished to some extent by his demise as a player since leaving Anfield, but he regularly ripped EPL defences apart thanks to the service provided by Gerrard.

Sixty-five goals in 91 Premier League starts for the Reds is a top-notch strike rate.

Richard Lenton is the lead presenter at ELEVEN SPORTS NETWORK. Join him and his studio guests for ELEVEN's live coverage of the EPL, which includes tomorrow evening's clash between Man Utd and Watford (10.30pm), as well as the Sunday showdowns between Liverpool and Spurs (1.30am kick-off), and Swansea v Leicester (11.50pm). For more details visit www.elevensports.sg