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The Big Three: Liverpool’s Most Influential Players of the 21st Century
Player Impact Echoes Through the Fans
Football fans have always compared players based on goals, trophies, and standout moments. In recent years, these discussions have grown with the rise of analysis tools that allow users to check season-by-season data, team performance, and individual stats.For Liverpool, the last 25 years offer plenty of talking points, and supporters often look at different lists and sportsbooks to see where players rank across competitions and timeframes. Some betting platforms let users view full list of data sets that break down appearances, goals, assists, clean sheets, and even deeper metrics like passes completed or pressing actions.
These breakdowns are often used during debates on which players had the biggest influence during key campaigns, which can shift the odds of the wins. With Liverpool’s rich mix of talent during this period, having access to detailed performance information helps fans draw fair comparisons and better understand the scale of each player's contribution.
1. Steven Gerrard – The Relentless Pulse Behind Liverpool’s Fight
Gerrard played like matches were personal. From the moment he broke into the first team, it felt like the outcome depended on whether he had the ball or not. Across a stretch where Liverpool tried to rebuild, change managers, and keep pace with better-funded rivals, Gerrard never wavered. His role shifted over the years. What did not change was the responsibility he carried.
He played over 700 matches. In many of them, the system worked because he held it together. Think about the 2006 FA Cup Final. The ball dropped to him late, and he struck it from distance to bring the game level. He hit it with no windup, no hesitation. That kind of confidence only comes from someone who understands the stakes and has lived in that pressure long enough to stop flinching.
Then there was the 2004–05 Champions League group stage match against Olympiacos. Liverpool needed a goal. He scored it late, and it pushed them through. That same season ended with the club lifting the Champions League trophy. Without that goal, the story probably ends in the group stage.
2. Mohamed Salah – The Sharp Edge That Redefined the Attack
Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool in the summer of 2017 and immediately reshaped the team’s forward play. He became a powerful presence from the right wing, using speed, timing, and accurate finishing with his left foot to unsettle defences. In his debut season, he scored 32 league goals—setting a new record in the Premier League for a 38-match campaign.
Salah’s consistency continued beyond his first explosive season. Across the 2023–24 campaign, he produced 18 Premier League goals and 10 assists in 32 appearances, finishing as Liverpool’s top scorer in that division. This streak of success has continued with him winning the title of Premier League player of the season in 2025 as well.
Even defenders tailored their marking schemes to contain him, often pulling players out of position and creating space for teammates. During the 2018–19 Champions League triumph and the Premier League title in 2019–20, Salah was regularly among the key performers.
3. Virgil van Dijk – The Calm Force That Changed Everything at the Back
Before Van Dijk arrived, Liverpool often played with one foot on the gas and the other on a banana peel. The team could score four goals, but give up three without warning. Van Dijk changed that. He didn’t yell or dive into tackles for the cameras. He stood where he needed to stand, read the play early, and took the sting out of situations before they turned into anything.
His ability to dominate aerially, slow down counterattacks, and pass under pressure gave Liverpool a defensive shape that worked without needing last-second heroics. It allowed the fullbacks to push up without looking over their shoulders every few minutes. It lets the midfield press without worrying about what would happen if they missed their mark.
During the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons, his presence turned Liverpool into a machine. The 2019–20 league title came with 32 wins from 38 matches. That consistency only happens when the back line holds. He won PFA Player of the Year along the way. That season didn’t hinge on him alone, but without him, it doesn’t look the same.
These weren’t moments of luck or short bursts of form. They were stretches of control, timing, and awareness. Every one of these players shaped Liverpool in ways that still influence how the club measures success today.
