Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans | OneFootball

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·14 May 2022

Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans
Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

The Premier League’s ‘top six’ have all played home to a collection of legendary footballers down the years.

Some true greats of the game have played for either Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City.


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There are a significant number of top quality players at those clubs in the present day as well, particularly in Liverpool and City’s case.

But how many current footballers would make one of the six clubs’ greatest ever XIs?

Well, we’re about to find out the opinion of fans on that matter.

Using the six lists on Ranker in which supporters can upvote and downvote on the greatest players in the clubs’ history, we’ve worked out the best XI for each member of the sextet.

So, let’s take a look at the thoughts of the fans and to make things easier, all the teams line up in a 4-4-2 formation.

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

Liverpool

The XI: Ray Clemence, Jamie Carragher, Virgil van Dijk, Alan Hansen, Bob Paisley, Mohamed Salah, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush.

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

A team full of legends. It’s hard to pick fault with that XI to be honest, apart from Alonso over Graeme Souness. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will likely occupy the full-back roles in the future.

Manchester United

The XI: Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Dennis Irwin, George Best, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney.

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

Another superb XI. The headline is obviously the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, although Giggs is certainly worthy of the spot at left-wing. Rooney and Charlton, United’s two greatest scorers, up top was a given, wasn’t it?

Chelsea

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

The XI: Petr Cech, Cesar Azpilicueta, John Terry, Marcel Desailly, Ashley Cole, Gianfranco Zola, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba, Jimmy Greaves.

Essien over N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele? Interesting, very interesting. It’s yet another marvellous XI overall, though. A spine of Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba is just ridiculously strong, isn’t it?

Arsenal

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

The XI: David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Sol Campbell, Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Freddie Ljungberg, Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry.

Six members of the famous ‘Invincibles’ squad feature, which is to be expected really. The absence of players from the last 10 to 15 years or so says a lot about Arsenal’s recent history…

Tottenham Hotspur

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

The XI: Hugo Lloris, Bill Nicholson, Ledley King, Jan Vertonghen, Dave Mackay, Gareth Bale, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, Heung-min Son, Harry Kane, Robbie Keane.

Greaves not being included here is an absolute travesty. The English legend – who made the cut for Chelsea – is Spurs’ record scorer, but misses out in favour of Keane. The Irishman was a great striker, however, he is not even close to Greaves’ level.

Manchester City

Article image:Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea: The PL top six's greatest XIs according to fans

The XI: Ederson, Kyle Walker, Vincent Kompany, Aymeric Laporte, Aleksandar Kolarov, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko.

As expected, there’s a very modern feel to City’s XI. Six members of Pep Guardiola’s current squad feature, while the other five have all represented the club in the past 10 years. The legendary trio of Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell and Francis Lee all being excluded is slightly controversial, it must be said.

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