90. Gilberto Silva
Arsene Wenger built a cathedral of beautiful football at Arsenal, with silky attacking players his architects. Behind them, though, sat Gilberto: the ‘invisible wall’ who swept up, battled hard and helped to provide an artistic Gunners side with a tough shell. His understated influence underpinned Arsenal: the Invincibles owed their creativity to the ball-winner who let them flourish.
HIGHLIGHT Going unbeaten in 2003/04 was a team effort, but two goals to win the first North London derby at the Emirates Stadium in December 2006 were all Gilberto’s.
89. Steve McManaman
Liverpool, Manchester City
Rarely is a side’s most talented player also its most hard-working – McManaman was the exception. He almost scorched the Anfield turf with his fierce running, yet so much of the Reds’ play went through him. He became El Macca when departing for Real Madrid in 1999, but epitomised everything positive about ’90s Liverpool with his flair and determination.
HIGHLIGHT A looping corker against Arsenal in November 1997 – one of his 11 goals that season – summed up the Scouser’s cocksure confidence. Great hair, too.
88. Fernandinho
Manchester City
The Brazilian sharpened his positional sense, passing and tactical awareness to become indispensable for Manchester City. “Everything we’ve done wouldn’t have been possible without him,” Pep Guardiola hummed of the Brazilian utility man ahead of 2017/18 glory.
HIGHLIGHT City pinched the 2018/19 title by just a point thanks to their humdinger of a win over Liverpool in January. Fernandinho, recently back from injury, was outstanding in a 2-1 classic, won by the barest of margins.
87. Kevin Phillips
Sunderland, Southampton, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Crystal Palace
As a youngster with Southampton, Phillips would clean Alan Shearer’s boots. By 2000, the strike pair were on either side of the Sunderland-Newcastle divide and Phillips was
pipping his senior to the Premier League Golden Boot. In fact, Phillips outscored anyone in Europe in his first top-flight season, as the Black Cats finished seventh. He is the only Englishman to win the European Golden Shoe.
Southampton pounced to bring him back to the south coast for £3.25m, where he forged a fine partnership with James Beattie. When Beattie moved to Everton, Phillips struggled without a pacy forward and was again relegated in 2004/05. The eight-cap England man had spells with Aston Villa and Birmingham, and by late 2013 was still coming off the bench for Crystal Palace at 40, before finally heading back to the Championship.
HIGHLIGHT A sumptuous drive in that 4-1 win against Chelsea. “It was a 25-yard dipping volley then,” smiled Phillips. “It’s [become] a 40-yard volley.” It was brilliant.
86. Stan Collymore
Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Bradford City
The 1994/95 Stan was a whirlwind of athleticism and lethal class. Forest finished third upon their return to the big time, qualifying for the UEFA Cup thanks to their unplayable frontman. Fans had enjoyed Teddy Sheringham and Nigel Clough before that, but neither thrilled like a peak Collymore. On the pitch, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do.
HIGHLIGHT Look no further than Newcastle. After teeing up Fowler for the first goal, Collymore hit two of his own, the second, a 92nd-minute jackhammer that sent Kevin Keegan sinking to the advertising boards. Pure theatre.
85. Romelu Lukaku
Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion, Everton, Manchester United
Future historians may struggle to summarise Lukaku’s career. His Old Trafford tenure was largely unhappy, his stints at both Everton and West Brom spectacular. Ultimately, the Belgian’s record – 113 goals in 252 appearances – stands up for itself. Lukaku remains the youngest ever foreign player to hit a ton of Premier League goals, aged just 24.
HIGHLIGHT On as a sub in Alex Ferguson’s last match as United gaffer, Rom’s perfect hat-trick helped West Brom to a 5-5 draw.
84. Marc Overmars
Arsenal
The jet-propelled Dutchman took time to catch alight after joining from Ajax in the summer of 1997, but was crucial to Arsenal’s subsequent Double-winning campaign. The winger was good for big goals on the biggest occasions, including a brace as Arsene Wenger’s outfit wrapped up the title against Everton.
HIGHLIGHT His slotted finish at Old Trafford in March 1998 was essential to the Gunners overturning a nine-point (and three-match) deficit to Manchester United before kick-off.
83. Juninho
Juninho loved Boro so much he signed for them three times: initially as a fancy new arrival from Brazil in October 1995, then again in 1999 and 2002. His star may have diminished with each return, but the schemer’s twinkle-toed displays at the tip of Bryan Robson’s midfield in his first spell secure his standing as one of British football’s most-loved imports.
HIGHLIGHT In a Boro career of near misses, finishing as runner-up to Gianfranco Zola for the FWA Player of the Year award in 1996/97 was an indication of Juninho’s class.
82. Tim Cahill
Everton
Cahill is one of the all-time great Premier League bargains. For £1.5m in 2004, Everton bagged a player who would decorate matches with aerial brilliance and corner flag punishment for eight campaigns. The Aussie averaged a goal every four games across 226 league appearances and is loved at Goodison Park.
HIGHLIGHT No post-war Everton player has scored more Merseyside derby league goals (five). A late Anfield strike in January 2009 snaffled a draw, en route to finishing fifth.
81. David Batty
Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United
As a teenager at Elland Road, Batty was made to drink sherry and raw egg by Billy Bremner, the legendary midfield general who Leeds fans hoped he would emulate. He was similarly combative: the local boy’s idea of injecting fun into the 1992 pre-season Makita Tournament involved hacking Roberto Mancini’s riled Sampdoria team to bits, with a mischievous grin.
Batty went on to establish a steely midfield partnership at Blackburn with Tim Sherwood as they finished second in 1993/94, but then suffered a broken foot which ruled him out for the majority of their golden campaign a year later. The midfielder refused his winners’ medal, having only featured five times. Newcastle followed before a triumphant return to Leeds but Batty wasn’t like other players. Football was his job. Ultimately, the midfielder was just another bloke with a life outside work – and loved for it.
