liverpool greatest xi

Liverpool FC best 11 of all time

Liverpool all time XI? Best Liverpool FC best 11 of all time? Best Liverpool XI of all time? Here we look through the archives and select for you the best Liverpool XI of all time.

Best Liverpool XI of all time

Players such as Gerrard and Clemence and Rush are synonymous with the image of Liverpool’s greatness. Now we will look at and pick who make up the best Liverpool combined XI of all time.

For every football fan, the desire to follow a club comes from the legends who have either played for them are currently playing at the club.

Ask the millions of Messi fans and why they support Barcelona. You’ll know!

So what happens when it comes to Liverpool? One of the most successful clubs of the English contingent and one of the greatest clubs in the world, this team has had some real legends don the red jersey.

So we thought we will have some fun and make a dream team, what if all these legends across a century could fit into one team. WHO WOULD GET IN? WHO LOST OUT? DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR OPINION?

Check out our version of Liverpool’s greatest XI and let us know what you think!

Best Liverpool XI of all time: Formation: 4-2-3-1

Best Liverpool XI of all time goalkeeper: Ray Clemence

liverpool goalkeeper

Clemence was a new confronted 18-year-old at Scunthorpe United when Bill Shankly conveyed him to Anfield in June 1967. In spite of his young age he had still shown up for the third division club. Shankly even disclosed to him Lawrence was over the slope and he would be in the group inside a half year to persuade him to join. Clemence needed to serve a two and a large portion of years’ baffling apprenticeship in the stores separated from being chosen for a League Cup tie against Swansea in September 1968.

Clemence’s second and third game came one year after his presentation yet he could barely grandstand his ability as Liverpool vanquished Dundalk 10-0 and 4-0 in the European Fairs Cup. As the 60s moved into the 70s, Shankly was beginning to separate the group which had brought him so much achievement and Clemence was given his full League debut at Nottingham Forest on the most recent day of January 1970.

Tommy Lawrence’s last appearance for the club was in a dreadful FA Cup quarter-last thrashing at Watford the following month and after seven days Clemence was one of various changes made for the visit of Derby County and he had built up himself immovably as first-decision ‘guardian before the finish of that season.

Clemence only missed six League facilitates in the accompanying 11 years!In the 1970/71 season Clemence just yielded 22 goals in 41 First Division organizes, a record which was outflanked in 1978/79 when just 16 destinations were surrendered, with Clemence an ever-present for the sixth time. It was no episode Liverpool were the best gathering, they had the best obstruction: Clemence, Neal, Kennedy, Thompson and Hansen.

Clemence kept 28 clean sheets and just yielded four objectives at Anfield in 21 games! His positional sense and brisk responses prompted England tops in abundance and his count would have been significantly higher had Peter Shilton not been around in the meantime. One of not many players over the entire landmass to have won three European glass victors’ decorations, Clemence’s essential spare from Stielike when the Rome last in 1977 was rigidly adjusted at 1-1 helped Liverpool accomplish maybe the most vital outcome in the club’s long and distinguished history.

Just as important saves in the Anfield quarter-final with Saint-Etienne in the same season had paved the way for that first success in Europe’s premier club competition and his penalty save from Jupp Heynckes prevented Liverpool from losing the 1973 UEFA Cup final on the away goals rule.

Another brilliant save from  a spot-kick at Dresden in the UEFA tournament three years later also prevented a quarter-final exit and the Reds went on to win the cup that year as well. What is not remembered so well but what was just as vital to all the success the club enjoyed during the 1970’s was Clemence’s remarkable consistency and athleticism which turned many a draw into a victory and many potential defeats into draws and wins.

Clemence’s final game for Liverpool was appropriately on the sort of grand stage to which he had become accustomed and he kept a clean sheet as Real Madrid were beaten by Alan Kennedy’s late strike in Paris as Liverpool and Clemence lifted their third European Cup. It was a shock for Liverpool’s management as well as fans when Clemence, who was approaching his thirty-third birthday, declared he wanted to leave the club as newcomer

Bruce Grobbelaar staked a claim to the number one jersey. Some claimed Clemence was running scared as he felt threatened by Grobbelaar, but Clemence says nothing could be further from the truth. “At the start of my career, I had Tommy Lawrence underneath me once I got into the side so I had the pressure of him. Frankie Lane came from Tranmere, McDonnell came from Oldham, Ogrizovic came from Chesterfield so I always had somebody putting pressure on me and that was part of Liverpool’s way getting you to play well was always having somebody to threaten your position. Therefore you always had to play well. Bruce was no different to any other goalkeeper I had underneath me before.”

Best Liverpool XI of all time right-back: Phil Neal

A standout amongst the most designed players in English football history, Neal made his name with Northampton Town and had played in about 200 Football League recreations for the Cobblers when he was moved to Liverpool in November 1974 as Bob Paisley’s first administrative marking. Paisley did squander a voyage to consider him to be Neal recalls: “Paisley frequently used to pay to experience the porches and converse with individuals about the players like:

‘What’s that Phil Neal like?’. At the point when Bob Paisley saw me once and for all at Northampton he carried a Liverpool executive with him, Mr. Sidney Reaks. For the initial twenty minutes I played at ideal back however rest of the amusement I played in objective. Sway stated: ‘We came such approach to see you once and for all. I needed to demonstrate my executive what great ideal back you were. The guardian got took away and you put the green pullover on.'”

Vastly experienced as of now on the League scene even at the generally youthful age of 23, being tossed into the Goodison derby with Everton only days after his entry on Merseyside didn’t trouble Neal in the scarcest. Neal missed the following three matches after that goalless introduction yet then played in the last 22 installations of the 1974/75 season, for the most part at left-back instead of Alec Lindsay despite the fact that he liked to be on the right. That began a very astounding keep running of back to back appearances for Liverpool; an aggregate of 417 between 23 October 1976 and 24 September 1983. That is, obviously, a Liverpool record!

Incidentally, he missed three games due to that injury against Manchester United in September 1983 before making another 127 appearances in a row!

Few know Neal better than Ray Clemence as he revealed in 1977: “Most people know that Phil is my roommate and best friend at the club. Phil adds an extra dimension to the team with his ability to surge forward and set things up,” Clem said. “It’s easy to see when you’re playing with him, that he’s got a tremendous awareness of every other player in the side and what their job is.

I suppose he picked it up in his utility days at Northampton – in fact he often tells me he’s a better goalkeeper than I am! Phil has so much skill on the ground that I don’t think he’d be lost in midfield. Add to that, his defensive qualities and the fact he’s no mean performer in the air and you’ve got a very good player indeed.”

“Zico”, so called by the supporters for the number of goals he scored as a defender, won a League Championship medal in his first full season at Anfield in 1975/76, something he would achieve on no less than eight occasions. He also played in six European club finals for Liverpool and was the only member of the 1977 European Cup-winning side in Rome to return there seven years later for a similar but much sterner test against the Italian champions.

Neal’s cool penalty in 1977 sealed that first triumph in the continent’s premier club tournament as Neal fondly remembers. Neal scored again in a European final – this time from open play – in 1984 before adding another tidy penalty in the shoot-out that followed the 1-1 draw, setting the scene for Alan Kennedy’s dramatic clincher from 12 yards.

A year later, having succeeded Graeme Souness as captain, Neal had the chance to emulate the great Real Madrid players, di Stefano and Gento, by picking up a fifth winners’ medal in the European Cup. Sadly, on a night of mayhem and madness in Brussels, his European dream was taken away from him on one the blackest days football has ever known.

Best Liverpool XI of all time centre-back: Alan Hansen

Hansen made his first-group debut for Liverpool against Derby County at Anfield towards the finish of September 1977 provoking columnist Don Evans to take note of: “The man of the match, the chap who made his introduction for Liverpool and fell off another Spion Kop saint, was the youthful Scot, Alan Hansen,” giving him a the vast majority of. With the focal guarded matching of Phil Thompson and Emlyn Hughes effectively settled, Hansen’s chances were restricted amid his first full season on Merseyside.

Be that as it may, despite everything he showed up in about a large portion of the League matches, 18, just as various container ties. Whenever frustrated to pass up the League Cup last group barely crushed by Nottingham Forest after a replay, his relief came in being lifted in the beginning line-up that would effectively safeguard the European Cup at Wembley against Bruges in the last match of the 1977/78 crusade. Hansen played left-back in that last yet supplanted Hughes in the focal point of safeguard ahead of schedule in the 1978/79 season and after Emlyn left for Wolves in 1979 he began to make the position his own consistently. 1979 likewise observed the first of Hansen’s eight Football League title awards.

The Scotsman’s teammates often remarked how calm he seemed before games that reflected in his cool and calculated play on the field. Hansen admits he suffered terribly from pre-match nerves but once he got on the field he was in his element. Hansen became known for dribbling the ball out of defence with style rather than hoof it upfield.

Best Liverpool XI of all time centre-back: Jamie Carragher

liverpool defender carragher

Carragher became a more regular member of the team with 20 first-team appearances from the start and three more as substitute in the disappointing 1997/98 season. Once Gerard Houllier had taken over following the departure of Roy Evans towards the end of 1998, he put his complete faith in the Bootle boy who became a key player for the Frenchman for the rest of his reign at Anfield that reached its zenith in the historic ‘Treble’ season of 2000/01.

Carragher wasn’t though to everyone’s taste as he himself recognised. “I don’t go on the websites or anything but I believe there’s murder there after a game if we have got beaten. But I’m not kidding people, if the team were to get beaten then I know I’d be one of the first to get criticised!” His number of appearances only dipped once below 50-a-season for Houllier but his absence was excusable as he broke his leg at Blackburn’s Ewood Park on 13 September 2003 which kept him out for four months.

Carragher’s versatility as a defender proved to be absolutely vital for him as he held his ground despite many attempts by newcomers to push him out of the first eleven. He could adapt to any given situation which has proved ultimately the foundation for his long and successful career. He established himself as the team’s regular right-back before moving to the left when Markus Babbel arrived at the club. Houllier’s successor, Rafa Benítez, saw Carragher as an ideal centre-half and in the Spaniard’s first two seasons in charge that ended with victories in the Champions League and the FA Cup, he made 56 and 57 first-team appearances respectively.

His performances defied belief as Alan Hansen noted following Liverpool’s monumental win over Chelsea in the semi-finals at Anfield in May 2005: “The way he held Chelsea at bay was unbelievable. I’m sitting there in awe of how many times he intercepted, blocked and covered.”

Best Liverpool XI of all time left-back: Alan Kennedy

A great attacking left-back who had the knack of scoring vital goals for Liverpool that brought further glory to the club. He’s Liverpool’s history in the early 80’s embodied. Who can forget when he scored the winning goal in Paris against Real Madrid in the 1981 European Cup final and everyone will remember the look on his face when he celebrated the deciding spot-kick in Rome 1984. Kennedy was a 19-year-old full-back for Newcastle United on the day that Liverpool destroyed his FA Cup final hopes in 1974 by outplaying the Geordies 3-0 at Wembley. He didn’t know it at the time but although he never would collect a winners’ medal in the FA Cup, he would win more trophies than he could ever have dreamed possible after his transfer from the North-East to Merseyside just before the start of the 1978/79 season.

Centre-midfield: Steven Gerrard

liverpool captain gerrard

Steven Gerrard is a great leader, strong in tackle, can hit the ball at ferocious speed, has good vision, scores great goals, makes brilliant passes and has it all, simply. There is no doubt that Stevie G ranks among the elite of Liverpool FC with the likes of Billy Liddell and Kenny Dalglish. Gerrard started out with his local team, Whiston Juniors, until he was noticed by Liverpool’s scouts at eight years of age.

He wasn’t selected to attend Lilleshall, the National football and sports centre, mainly due to his lack of height. When he was 15, he was the same height as Michael Owen, but his sudden growth caused problems in his back restricted him to only playing 20 games from 14 years of age to 16. Gerrard got his breakthrough into the Liverpool team in 1998 when Jamie Redknapp got injured. New manager Gérard Houllier had inherited the key player to his Anfield revolution.

Gerrard played 13 games, but his physical condition was still restricting his progress. The first instance that convinced Liverpool fans worldwide that the boy was something special was a heroic display in his first Merseyside derby in only his ninth appearance for the club. He featured as a right-back and made two goal-line clearances as Liverpool successfully protected their lead.

Finally the England set-up took notice. He was nominated captain of the u-18 side and made his debut for the u-21s in September 1999. Houllier trusted the 19-year-old to begin the 1999/00 season in the starting line-up alongside Redknapp and promised him at least 20 games. Didi Hamann took his place eight games into the campaign in the Merseyside derby and disappointed Gerrard came on as a substitute. He lost his composure at the end of the match and was sent off for an ugly foul and was banned for three games.

Gerrard returned stronger than before, determined to prove himself and his first goal for the club, against Sheffield Wednesday on 5 December 1999 proved to be spectacular. “A wonderful talent, a young man with the steel of a Stiles and the style of a Souness” – as Ric George described him in the Liverpool Echo – “side-stepped, danced and dribbled past three defenders before finishing decisively.” He also proved his versatility as in one year he had played as a left-back, right-back, defensive and offensive midfielder and right-winger.

Best Liverpool XI of all time centre-midfield: Graeme Souness

Graeme Souness was a true midfield maestro who is certain to finish on everyone’s greatest Liverpool XI-list.

Souness was the driving force in midfield for Liverpool and controlled the play with Terry McDermott when Liverpool won the title in 1979 and 1980. Souness led by example and netted a hat-trick against CSKA Sofia in the quarter-finals on their way to yet another European triumph.

The trophies kept on coming and Souness’ genius was for everyone to see. During Christmas 1981 Liverpool lost 3-1 to Manchester City and the team was in twelfth place. Bob Paisley felt that he needed to make a serious adjustment to the team. He promoted Souness to captain in place of Phil Thompson, but at the cost of the players’ friendship.

The 1983/84 season turned out to be Souness’ last with the Reds, winning the League title for the third year in a row. Souness said his goodbyes to Liverpool in style by securing the League Cup against Everton with a great shot outside the penalty area and came second in the PFA’s Player of the Year voting. The club reached their fourth European Cup final by winning every away-leg.

In the second-leg of the semi-final with Dinamo Bucharest, Souness was attacked verbally and physically by Rumanian players, incensed that he had broken the jaw of one of their colleagues in the first meeting at Anfield two weeks previously. He responded, as he usually did when the odds were stacked against him, with a performance of great discipline. The European Cup final turned out to be Souness’ farewell Liverpool appearance and he left on a high.

Centre-attacking midfield: Kenny Dalglish

Dalglish was only 15 years old when he played his first game in a Liverpool shirt. He was given a week-long trial and played one game with the B-team against Southport in a 1-0 win on 20 August 1966.

On 13 August 1977, Dalglish played his first game for the Reds against Manchester United in the Charity Shield which finished in a goalless draw. The Liverpool fans were excited, but kept in mind that many good players had come from Scotland but hadn’t succeeded south of the border where the League is tougher.

Dalglish’s teammates were not bad: Ray Clemence was the ‘keeper, Phil Neal and Joey Jones full-backs, Phil Thompson and Emlyn Hughes central defenders, in front of them Ian Callaghan and Terry McDermott, Ray Kennedy and Steve Heighway on the wings and up front David Johnson and David Fairclough. Promising defender Alan Hansen waited for his chance in the first team. Dalglish’s League debut was away to Middlesbrough which included a young Scot named Souness.

Best Liverpool XI of all time right-wing striker: Luis Suarez

suarez greatest xi liverpool

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz (born 24 January 1987) is an Uruguayan footballer who played as a forward for Liverpool from 2011 until 2014. Despite a relatively short career at the club, Suarez developed himself into one of the most talked-about figures in Liverpool history. A tricky forward who combines imaginative forward play with outstanding technical ability and clinical finishing, along with a never-say-die attitude, he hugely impressed many with his play, and is often regarded as one of the finest players to have ever played for the club.

He was voted fifth in the 2013 100 Players Who Shook The Kop list and claimed the Standard Chartered Player of the Season award for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. However he was also embroiled in some major controversies- notably his involvement in incidents with Patrice Evra, and Branislav Ivanovic that resulted in lengthy bans. He also engaged in a very public- and ultimately unsuccessful battle with Liverpool in an attempt to leave the club to join rivals Arsenal in the summer of 2013.

Although he managed to briefly improve his public image in the 2013-14 season, avoiding any significant controversy and in return receiving both the PFA and FWA Player of the Season awards, after netting 31 Premier League goals to fire Liverpool into second place, controversy reared it’s head again during the 2014 World Cup as he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Again afforded a significant ban, his indiscretions have severely damaged his public reputation and repeatedly placed Liverpool’s public relations under significant pressure and scrutiny; as such, Suarez remains one of the most controversial figures in Liverpool’s history. Shortly after biting Chiellini, Suarez was transferred to Barcelona for a club record £75,000,000 fee.

Left-wing striker: Mo Salah

salah liverpool forward

Whoof! What do we say about him? The man who is breaking all records at Anfield, the latest was to become the fastest Red to reach 50 league goals, has been a revelation!

Having played 78 times for the Swiss club, Salah moved to Chelsea in January 2014. His move failed and he left for AS Roma. After a decent spell in the Serie A, he joined Liverpool and since has gone on to become one of the most fearsome goalscorers in Europe. In two seasons, he has scored over 60 goals and is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.

He is now valued extremely high by the Kop and is certain to become a club legend should he continue his current exploits!

Best Liverpool XI of all time centre-forward: Ian Rush

Simply the greatest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history. Rushie was born and raised with four sisters and five brothers in a town called Flint in northeast-Wales. When he was 13 playing for Deeside Primary schools his scoring prowess alerted scouts at Liverpool and Manchester United. He eventually went on trials to Burnley, Wrexham and Chester. Cliff Sear, the youth team manager at Chester, put him at ease and Rush felt at home at Chester. Liverpool scout Geoff Twentyman was a regular visitor at Chester’s games and come 1980 Bob Paisley was convinced enough about his talent to convince the club to splash out £300,000 on the 19-year-old which was the highest fee ever paid for a youngster at the time in the world.

What clinched the deal for Rush was that Chester manager, Allan Oakes, told him: ‘If you don’t make it, you can always go back to Chester.” Rush left Chester after scoring 17 goals in 39 matches. Rush made his debut for Liverpool in a 1-1 draw against Ipswich on 13 December 1980 replacing Kenny Dalglish in the side, who was out with an injured ankle.

Wearing the famous number seven at Liverpool was quite a responsibility for the youngster, who was raised as an Everton supporter. Rush’s second game was a League Cup final replay no less. He had an impressive game at Villa Park and rattled the crossbar. Liverpool celebrated a 2-1 win courtesy of Dalglish’s and Hansen’s goals. Rush finished the season with nine games for Liverpool but still no goals. He had though so far netted twelve goals in 30 reserve appearances.

Rush didn’t get a chance in the first team at the beginning of his first full season. He also had trouble adapting socially to his new surroundings. He was shy and didn’t like how Dalglish and the senior players used to wind him and the other new recruits up. Rush knocked on Paisley’s door and declared he wanted a chance with the first team or else he would leave. Paisley said he would make him available for transfer and Rush left his office determined to show him he could score an abundance of goals with the reserves that would alert other clubs. Rush scored five goals in his first four reserve games of the season. Paisley’s trick had worked as he never intended to sell him.

Just as a small comparison here, we are also putting the worst Liverpool eleven,

Formation: 4-2-3-1

GK: Llorius Karius

RB: Bjorn Tore Kvarme

CB: Dejan Lovren

CB:  Djimi Traore

LB: Paul Konchesky

CDM: Alberto Aquilani

CDM: Jay Spearing

CAM:  David N’Gog

LW: Bruno Cheyrou

ST: Andriy Voronin

RW: El Hadji Diouf

Some great players who missed out best Liverpool XI of all time!

Fernando Torres

El Nino Liverpool

The El Nino as he was known at Liverpool, he was one of the deadliest strikers the club had last decade. His chemistry with Steven Gerrard was the sole reason that the duo drove an average Liverpool side to a Premier League title chase which they unfortunately lost out on.

He was a nightmare for defenders and many considered him the best forward if not the best player during his early Liverpool days, He left for a record fee for Chelsea where he lost his magic touch!

Xabi Alonso

alonso liverpool legend

Xabi Alonso or the pass master as he is known, is a midfield maestro. He knows how to control the tempo of the game, play the right pass, make the right move to be in the place to intercept the ball and make the crude tackle to stop a dangerous counter attack!

He could do it all in midfield and with Steven Gerrard next to him, it was a competition between the duo who could shoot from further outside and still score effortlessly. Easily one of Liverpool’s classiest players, the professor slightly missed out on a spot but we are sure he can make it in the Real Madrid legends club where like Liverpool he won a Champions League!

See also…

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