Gerrard, De Bruyne, Lampard: Who is the greatest Premier League midfielder? | OneFootball

We, as fans, are lucky to have witnessed some superb midfield talents in the Premier League era and near on every list offer a level variance because, well, it’s subjective.

To be an elite-level midfielder in arguably the toughest league in the world, you need to be very fine footballer.

Whether it’s grit between the teeth, a mesmerising passing range, or a metronome-like skill set, it’s a tough job.

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Twitter user VisualGame recently asked fans to vote for their greatest midfielders in Premier League history.

1,642 fans got involved and VisualGame produced a telling graphic, using a weighted points system, of the finalised results.

The list includes a healthy mix of players who plied their trade back in the day and those that continue to strut their stuff in the current game.

Please note that the votes were based on their time in the Premier League, which would explain Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric’s lower-than-expected ranking.

The 30 best Premier League midfielders of all time, voted by the fans

30. Nicky Butt

29. Paul Ince

28. Emmanuel Petit

27. Paul Pogba

26. Christian Eriksen

25. Juan Mata

24. Gilberto Silva

23. Michael Ballack

22. Matt Le Tissier

21. Santi Cazorla

20. Bernardo Silva

19. Ilkay Gundogan

18. Luka Modric

17. Rodri

16. Michael Carrick

15. Mesut Özil

14. Fernandinho

13. Michael Essien

12. Claude Makélélé

11. Xabi Alonso

10. N’Golo Kanté

9. Cesc Fàbregas

8. Roy Keane

7. David Silva

6. Yaya Touré

5. Patrick Vieira

4. Paul Scholes

3. Frank Lampard

2. Steven Gerrard

A deeper dive into the chosen top 10

In tenth spot and one of two players in the top ten to still play in England’s top tier is N’Golo Kante.

Unplayable on his day, Kante is heralded for having an extra lung due to his tenacious running and ability to disrupt opposing attacks.

Arsenal and Chelsea’s Spanish magician Cesc Fabregas just pipped the lovable Kante for ninth place and can credit his standing to what’s going on upstairs.

Roy Keane’s public spats with Patrick Vieira were the epitome of peak Premier League football and enough to earn him a spot in this prestigious list.

But his on-field character and leadership ability for one of England's most illustrious sides ever was what set him apart from the rest.

David Silva was a critical part to the early innings of Manchester City’s rise to the top and was a mainstay in city blue.

Intelligence was key to his role in Pep’s blueprint, and Silva had that in abundance.

Another City phenom in the top ten is Yaya Toure. Explosive, clinical, relentless - the Ivorian genuinely had it all.

Holder of one of the best individual seasons to date with 20 goals and nine assists, is sixth place too low we wonder?

Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard narrowly missed out on the top spot but cement their rightfully earned places in the upper echelons.

The three widely discussed central midfielders of England’s golden generation rightfully earned their respectable rankings for their undeniable influence on their respective clubs.

The GOAT status lands at the feet of Kevin De Bruyne. Need more be said?

De Bruyne has etched himself into the top spot after consistently performing under the Spanish tactician, Pep Guardiola.

By the time it’s time to hang up his boots, there’s potential that he would have snuck into the greatest Premier League players of all time conversation, let alone midfielders.