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The all-time greatest Liverpool XI based on former players’ selections

Steven Gerrard during his Liverpool days

Jamie Carragher, John Barnes and Robbie Fowler among club legends picking their all-time Liverpool XI.

Many have said that Jurgen Klopp's current Liverpool side is the best in club history, but how many of the current squad would get into an all-time XI?

It's always difficult picking between players from different generations playing in different eras - it's almost like a different game.

Rules, pitches, equipment and fitness all mean that football of today is a totally different kettle of fish to that of the 1970s and '80s, but it won't stop the comparisons.

Liverpool have a rich history of picking up trophies with fabulous teams crammed with fabulous players, so an all-time side takes some picking.

Plenty of former club legends have had a go though, including former Red-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher, with his latest selections sparking the debate.

So let's see who makes it in to the ultimate Liverpool XI.

Jamie Carragher's all-time XI

Carragher has gone for a nice mix of old and new to create his top Liverpool side, with just three of Jurgen Klopp's men making it in.
Mohamed Salah slots in on the right wing, with Steven Gerrard and Graeme Souness making up a dynamic and tough central midfield.
Gerrard and Dalglish will no doubt be popular choices all-around as the two greatest players in the club's history.

Line-up: Clemence, Alexander-Arnold, Hansen, Van Dijk, Nicol, Salah, Souness, Gerrard, Barnes, Dalglish, Rush.

John Barnes' all-time XI

Barnes went old school for his selections with none of the current crop of Reds managing to get in - what more do they have to do!
It's a 4-2-3-1 formation for Barnes and plenty of the older players who dominated for years when picking up league titles and European Cups at will.
Alongside the strength and power of the older generation, there's a sprinkling of magic with Gerrard and Luis Suarez making the cut.

Line-up: Clemence, Neal, Smith, Hughes, Kennedy, Souness, Callaghan, Hunt, Gerrard, Dalglish, Suarez.

John Aldridge's all-time XI

Former Liverpool striker Aldridge has gone for a tradition 4-4-2 formation which again is packed with older players from the dominant 1970s and 1980s.
The versatile Emlyn Hughes slots in at left-back and Kevin Keegan, who never seems to pop up too much in the conversation for these things, plays on the right wing.
Roger Hunt, who scored 286 goals for Liverpool, takes his place up front alongside Dalglish.

Line-up: Clemence, Neal, Hansen, Van Dijk, Hughes, Keegan, Gerrard, Souness, Barnes, Dalglish, Hunt.

Luis Garcia's all-time XI

Kop fan favourite Luis Garcia went for a tasty line-up that was ultra-attacking and would score hundreds of goals.
Pepe Reina gets the gloves in goal and Kenny Dalglish plays in behind a front three of Salah, Fowler and Ian Rush.
There might be a lot of work to do for Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in midfield here but the firepower is frightening.

Line-up: Reina, Hyypia, Hansen, Carragher, Alonso, McManaman, Gerrard, Dalglish, Fowler, Rush, Salah.

Robbie Fowler's all-time XI

It was back in 2019 that Liverpool scoring legend Robbie Fowler selected his XI, so a few more of the current side may creep in in time.

Salah, Van Dijk and Andrew Robertson made the cut though as Fowler went for a 3-4-1-2 line-up.
His big mate Steve McManaman was picked to play in the hole behind Salah and Luis Suarez in a line-up full of goals.

Line-up: Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Van Dijk, Jones, Gerrard, Barnes, Robertson, McManaman, Suarez, Salah.

Steve McManaman's all-time XI

Speaking of McManaman, he picked Bruce Grobbelaar in goal despite their infamous on-field spat.

Rob Jones gets the nod at right-back, as he did in Fowler's team at right wing-back, but you suspect Trent Alexander-Arnold may get the nod now.

Line-up: Grobbelaar, Jones, Carragher, Hyppia, Nicol, Alonso, Gerrard, Barnes, Suarez, Fowler, Salah.

So who makes the all-time Liverpool XI?

With different formations and a few ties we've had to make some tough decisions. Using a recent fans survey as the decider when needed, we've opted for a 4-3-3 formation as is commonplace today.

Goalkeeper

Bruce Grobbelaar and Pep Reina got votes, while current shot-stopper Alisson will surely creep into thinking in the years to come, but Ray Clemence is the undoubted pick here after 665 appearances, five league titles and three European Cups.

Defence

By the time he's done, Trent-Alexander-Arnold could well be an automatic pick here, while Rob Jones is well respected among his former team-mates, but Phil Neal is the most decorated Liverpool player of all time.

Playing a huge part in eight league titles and boasting four European Cups among his 22 medals, his achievements will take some topping.

Sami Hyypia is unlucky to just miss out and he'll take a spot on the bench behind Alan Hansen and Virgil van Dijk, who in some ways are pretty similar as unflappable centre-backs with terrific ball-playing skills.

Hansen was a special talent and years ahead of his time in the way he could play out from the back, while Van Dijk has been a catalyst for so much of Liverpool's recent success.

Left-back has no clear winner, with Andy Robertson having a shout and Alan Kennedy rightly being in the conversation with five league and two European Cup wins - scoring the winning goals in both - but the versatile Steve Nicol gets the vote from our panel.

Midfield

If we're playing a three then this selection is actually pretty easy, and would be among many Liverpool fans, with Steven Gerrard, Graeme Souness and John Barnes among the club's best ever players.

The Reds have had some fantastic talent in midfield down the years, more recently with Xabi Alonso arguably the best passer of a ball they've ever seen at Anfield, but the competition is so high even for a place on the bench for this Rolls Royce of a midfielder.

Steve McManaman got a couple of votes and many forget just how good he was at creating goals, while there are a few older names that we need to mention after not getting a vote.

The tough-tackling Steve McMahon was a complete midfielder, while Australian Craig Johnston won five league titles and Ronnie Whelan six and Jan Molby could rival Alonso for his passing ability.

Forwards

Do we need to even discuss Kenny Dalglish? Mr Liverpool is alongside Gerrard as Liverpool's best ever player and is an automatic selection in any line-up.

Mohamed Salah is getting to that level too, and when he eventually leaves he will go down as a club legend given the sheer weight of goals he's scored.

Luis Suarez just about gets in ahead of Robbie Fowler in our pundits' selections, with the Uruguayan having a short but spectacular spell at Anfield. Ian Rush somehow only gets one vote despite being the club's record scorer and five-time league champion.

With Kevin Keegan and Roger Hunt also only getting one vote and the likes of John Toshack, Michael Owen and Ian St John missing out, it shows you just how much talent has passed through Anfield over the years.

All-time Liverpool XI: Clemence, Neal, Hansen, Van Dijk, Nicol, Gerrard, Souness, Barnes, Dalglish, Salah, Suarez.

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