Ranking the five most-skilled players in Liverpool history
Liverpool are a club with a rich history. The Merseysiders are the most successful English club in the Champions League. Historically, they have relied heavily on home-grown talents.
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Liverpool are not usually associated with skilled players
While most of the players associated with the club have a reputation for being hard-working and specialists, they have also seen their fair share of nimble-footed stars.
Michael Owen is the only player to have won the Ballon d'Or while representing the Reds at club level but he was more of a pace-fiend than a master of skills.
On that note, here we take a look at five of the most skilled players in Liverpool history.
#5 Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino is a versatile forward and his unique skill-set makes him a useful player for Liverpool in the starting XI. The former Hoffenheim player is not a typical striker. He displays the rare ability to drop into deeper positions to play in his team-mates.
He is an entertainer on the pitch with a lot of flair and dribbling moves under his belt. He is a proponent of the no-look goal.
He has been a key player in the club's recent successes. His selflessness, ability to link with his teammates, and positional awareness are important traits for the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to thrive in front of goal.
#4 Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish is considered to be the greatest player in the club's history by the Anfield faithful. King Kenny, as he is fondly referred to by Liverpool fans, enjoyed success as a forward in the English league despite his 5 ft 8 frame.
Though he did not possess a noticeable flair or signature moves to dazzle his opponents, he did the simple things correctly day in day out. It led to him breaking the 100-goal barrier with Celtic and Liverpool, the only two clubs he played for in his highly successful career.
He was blessed with an extraordinary footballing brain. One of his trademark moves to score goals involved a great reading of the game. He would time his runs to perfection and there was a factor of unpredictability to his name. He could score with a first-time finish or cut inside to score from his right foot.
#3 Mohamed Salah
Mo Salah shot to fame after moving to Anfield in 2017. He was always highly rated throughout his career but enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2015-16 with AS Roma, which eventually earned him a move to Liverpool.
The left-footed winger is known for his blistering pace, quick feet, dribbling at full speed, first touch, and ball control. For his ability to slalom through defense, he has earned a monicker as the Egyptian Messi.
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He started his career at left-back but was quickly moved into a more attacking possession due to his ability to dribble past defenses. While he lacked the finishing ability in his early days, he is now one of the most prolific strikers of our generation.
#2 Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho has returned to the Premier League with Aston Villa this season. The Brazilian midfielder will always be remembered for his impressive spell at Liverpool as he set the pitch on fire with his silky moves and long-range stunners.
He has a gifted right foot and possesses a dribbling ability that rivals any other footballer in the world at the moment. While he failed to justify a โฌ160 million move to Barcelona, there were glimpses of his creative flair and quick feet in Spain.
The Little Magician learned most of his skills while playing street football as a kid. Coutinho started playing futsal before moving on to full-scale football, which explains his command and comfort with the ball at his feet.
#1 Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman is one of the few British players to have enjoyed a successful spell outside the Premier League. His impressive stint with Real Madrid earned him six trophies, including two Champions League titles, in just three and a half seasons.
He was an Everton fan growing up but graduated through Liverpool's academy in 1990. He had a tremendous running ability and honed his skills with the ball as well over time.
#OnThisDay in 2001, Steve McManaman did this for Real Madrid 
๐ #OnThisDay in 2001, Steve McManaman did this for Real Madrid ๐ฑ
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He was an excellent dribbler and his ability to play with either foot came in handy to overcome his markers. He is often counted amongst some of the best English dribblers of all time, though not better than Sir Stanley Matthews.
His mazy runs were ahead of his time and were too much to handle for the static defenders of the 1990s. His spell at Liverpool coincided with a poor performance by the team overall and hence he is not much appreciated at the club. It was a factor that led to him eventually parting ways after nine years at Anfield in 1999.