EPL Hall of Fame: Three Liverpool players who could be inducted
The English Premier League announced plans to launch it’s official Hall of Fame. The framework will be used to add those players who have graced the league with their exceptional grace and skill since it’s inception in 1992.
The first two inductees will be revealed on March 19th along with a shortlist of nominees. Fans are invited to vote for additional former players, who will subsequently be added to the class of 2020.
In order to be eligible for inclusion, the players must already be retired. The selection will only be based purely on the player’s Premier League career. Each inductee will receive a personalized medallion that is engraved with the year of their induction.
We take a look at three former Liverpool players likely to make the grade. We will however only be discussing statistics and awards relevant to the player’s time in the Premier League.
1. Steven Gerrard
The standout choice for a majority of fans. Not only is the former Liverpool skipper easily the club’s best player in the Premier League era, but also happens to be one of the all-time greats.
The Liverpool No. 8 made 504 appearances in the Premier League in 17 seasons on Merseyside where he scored 121 goals and 70 assists. Starting out at right-back, he went on to play primarily in central midfield while also doing an admirable job further forward and on the right. Towards the end of his career, as his pace diminished, he reinvented himself as a defensive midfielder.
One of the finest midfielders in the game, he is the only player to bag an FA Cup Final, a League Cup Final, a UEFA Cup Final, and a UEFA Champions League Final.
He is one of the six players to have won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the PFA Young Player of the Year awards in the Premier League era. He made the PFA Premier League Team of the Year on eight occasions while also winning the PFA Fans Player of the Year twice.
Gerrard also won the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009 after scoring 16 goals and 11 assists from midfield. He was awarded the FWA Tribute award in 2013 and the PFA merit award in 2015 for his contribution to the sport.
The midfielder also won the FA England Player of the Year twice in 2007 and 2012 and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Gerrard also was nominated by BBC Match of the Day in all-time Premier League XI in 2017.
The Scouser was also awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire and an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University for his contribution to the sport.
Gerrard is one of the finest players to grace the game and has won a number of trophies. The Premiership was eluded him a number of times and is the one major trophy he never won. It should however not be counted against him as he has on a consistent basis carried average Liverpool teams to respectable Premier League finishes.
Having spent a distinguished career in service to his local club, the Liverpool legend rightly deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.
2. Sami Hyypia
A player relatively unknown in England, Hyypia spent 10 seasons at Liverpool before departing as one of the best defenders the league has seen.
The Finnish international made 318 appearances for the Reds in the Premier League and scored 22 goals during that time. He immediately a solid defensive partnership with Stephane Henchoz and then later with Jamie Carragher.
With a good sense of the game and a dominant presence in the air, Hyppia was one of the league’s best defenders in his time at Anfield. He won the Liverpool Player of the Year in 2001-2002 and was twice selected in the PFA Team of the Year in 1999-2000 and 2001-2002.
Although Jamie Carragher appeared more often compared to Hyypia, the Finnish legend edges it due to him being included in the PFA Team of the Year, an accolade Carragher never received.
3. Michael Owen
A slightly controversial choice, considering how his time at Liverpool came to an end and his time at Manchester United. There can be no argument that while at Anfield, Owen ranked among the best strikers in the Premiership.
Having come through the club’s academy, the striker played 216 times for Liverpool in eight seasons. He scored an impressive 118 goals during that time.
By the age of 19, he already had two Premier League Golden Boots and looked to have the world at his feet. He still holds the record as the only player under the age of 20 to have won the golden foot. Incredibly he did it twice.
Owen won the Premier League Player of the Season and the PFA Young Player of the Year in 1997-98. He was also included in the PFA Team of the Season the same year and went on to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1998-99.
He was nominated in the team of the decade in the Premier League 10 Seasons award and also received the Golden Foot in 2017 as a football legend. Owen was inducted in the English Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
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He returned to the Premier League at Newcastle United in 2005 where his stay was racked by injuries. He would go on to also represent Manchester United and Stoke City winning the league with the former in 2010-11.
Owen played a total of 326 games for four clubs and scored 150 goals. He is currently ninth in the all-time Premier League scorers list.
