Steven Gerrard has named the three individuals that he considers to be the greatest Premier League players of all time. The Liverpool man was in no doubt over who his picks were, but chose to snub Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Many might be tempted to throw the former Red into the mix for that debate, considering what he did for his boyhood club throughout his career. Making 504 appearances in the top flight, Gerrard scored 120 goals and also assisted teammates on 92 occasions. The only thing missing from his resume was a league title.
Despite that absence, he is still highly regarded by his fellow professionals, with Lionel Messi even stating that Gerrard was England's greatest ever player. But the Anfield icon didn't include himself among his three Premier League GOATs.
Gerrard's Greatest Premier League Players
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Speaking to ESPN, Gerrard was asked a series of questions, including the current best midfielders in the world and his three favourite goals. After naming his three toughest opponents, he was then asked for his greatest Premier League players.
Fans might have expected him to say Ronaldo, given what he accomplished in his years at Old Trafford. The Portugal star won three Premier League titles while in England, with his second a part of the famous 2007/08 Champions League double. That ultimately saw him crowned the best player in the world in 2008.
Nevertheless, Gerrard opted for three different players. He picked Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba and Roy Keane as players who ultimately had stronger legacies in England than the aforementioned Ronaldo.
"Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba for productivity and I'd probably go with Roy Keane."
Although his goal record might not be as impressive as other strikers, Drogba was a menace for opposition players to deal with. The Ivorian was so strong, capable of bullying centre-backs before unleashing a fearsome strike at goal. Gerrard got to see that up close on 29 occasions, as teammate Jamie Carragher described him as "unplayable" on his day.
Keane, meanwhile, was revered and feared by all those who faced him. Hailed by Gerrard as the Premier League's greatest midfielder, the Irishman was integral to Sir Alex Ferguson's success at Old Trafford, as he skipped the team to seven league titles.
Gerrard Wanted Henry at Liverpool
Thierry Henry (Arsenal) and Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Arsenal v Liverpool - FA Barclays Premiership - Emirates Stadium - 06/07 , 12/11/06 Thierry Henry - Arsenal and Steven Gerrard - Liverpool before game Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O'Brien
But nobody gets close to Henry in Gerrard's eyes. The first man he named in ESPN's interview, Gerrard also picked the Frenchman as the greatest ever in a separate interview with Gary Neville back in 2022.
A legend at Arsenal, Henry was impossible to defend against when at his best. Possessing speed and flair to leave defenders trailing behind him, as well as lethal finishing ability, the former Gunner scored 175 times in 258 appearances in the league - a remarkable rate.
His eight years on English soil were spectacular, and Gerrard spoke in 2007 about how he tried to get the forward to sign for the Reds before he swapped north London for Barcelona. Per the Guardian, he said: "I sent him a few text messages seeing if he fancied it.
"I would have loved to have seen him in a Liverpool shirt, just like the supporters would have. But he wanted to play for Barcelona, so you had to respect that decision. However he's got a lot of respect for Liverpool. He speaks well about us."