Liverpool's dream five-a-side team as Steven Gerrard in but Mo Salah snubbed

18 hours ago 21

With Liverpool struggling so much at the moment, after six losses in seven games, it's fair to say it's not too much fun thinking and talking about the Reds right now.

A horrible few weeks have seen Liverpool drop from first to seventh in the Premier League standings, and Wednesday saw the team exit the Carabao Cup in meek fashion. Saturday's game at home to Aston Villa represents the next opportunity to get the season back on track, but Villa's form right now means it won't be easy.

Considering things aren't going too well right now, we thought it might be a refreshing tonic to reflect on better times — or perhaps, better players, as we build our dream five-a-side team from players who have represented the Reds.

Goalkeeper - Alisson

It's not a coincidence that Liverpool's losing run has come with Alisson out of the team.

When Alisson limped off against Galatasaray in September, the Reds had lost just one game all season. They went on to lose that game in Turkey, and have lost another four in five games since.

The warning signs were there for Liverpool earlier in the season, but Alisson was often there to bail them out.

Alisson has been sensational since joining Liverpool in 2018

His deputy — Giorgi Mamardashvili — while not obviously to blame for any of the goals Liverpool has conceded, has also not made any saves that you perhaps wouldn't expect him to — which is something Alisson does routinely.

Alisson has been the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and arguably the best goalkeeper in the world for several years now, and has been a key player in a successful period for the team.

Defender - Alan Hansen

Virgil van Dijk runs him close, but Alan Hansen was the bedrock of the team that dominated England and Europe in the late 70s and 80s.

Hansen made over 600 appearances for Liverpool, and although one might suspect he was merely an excellent no-nonsense defender due to the era he played in, he was also technically fantastic on the ball.

Graeme Souness summed it up perfectly earlier this year when he said: “By a country mile [Van Dijk is the current best defender in the world], but he’s not as good as Alan Hansen.”

Midfielder - Graeme Souness

Souness, like Hansen, was absolutely central to the most successful period in Liverpool's history.

A rock in the middle of the park, the Scot won five leagues and three European Cups in seven seasons with the Reds. He was a complete midfielder, capable of doing just about anything, which perhaps goes some way to explaining why he was so critical of the modern player in his punditry days!

Graeme Souness won five leagues and three European Cups across just seven seasons with Liverpool

Midfielder - Steven Gerrard

Another complete midfielder, and the only one in Liverpool's history who holds a candle to Souness.

Unfortunately for Gerrard, he played in some of the worst Liverpool teams for half a century, so he doesn't have anywhere near as many winners' medals as a player of his quality should have.

The greatest moment of his career was, of course, the comeback in Istanbul in 2005, when he almost single-handedly dragged the Reds back from the brink of certain defeat to beat AC Milan in the Champions League final.