Jamie Carragher names top ten Premier League midfielders as he defends No 1 pick

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Jamie Carragher declared ex-Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard his greatest Premier League midfielder of all-time, narrowly picking him ahead of Roy Keane .

The Sky Sports pundit was tasked with naming his elite set of central midfielders and his list boasted a number of league champions and PFA Player of the Year winners. Gerrard was the only man on the list not to have won the Premier League , but that didn't harm his stock.

The Ex-Red is widely regarded among the best players ever to play in his position and came out on top in Carragher's list. Keane, who was sat alongside Carragher in the studio, was a serial winner during his time as Manchester United captain but had to settle for second.

Carragher has defended the decision to put Gerrard top, citing his eight appearances in the PFA Team of the Year, the most of any player in history, whilst also suggesting that no other midfielder would've taken Liverpool closer to the title than Gerrard.

He said on Sky Sports: "Another way of looking at it too is we didn't win the league, we'd have loved to but with the other players on the list, I don't think if we put them in for Steven Gerrard that we would've won the league."

Kevin De Bruyne was named in third. The Manchester City great left the Etihad last summer after 11 seasons with the club, where he was twice named the PFA Player of the Year. Carragher claimed the Belgian was the "best passer" to play in the top flight and De Bruyne was "the difference" as City continued to edge out Liverpool during their title battles.

Keane himself confessed that De Bruyne would've been his top pick had he been doing the list, admitting he used to watch him with envy given his ability. He said: "It’s about opinions but he’s the first that springs to mind for me if I'm thinking about the greatest Premier League midfielder."

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Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira, who led the Invincibles, was the winner of three titles. He was named in fourth, ahead of Frank Lampard in fifth. The Chelsea star was renowned for his goalscoring ability from midfield, eventually leaving the Blues as their all-time top scorer.

N'Golo Kante came out of nowhere to help inspire Leicester to the title in 2016 and then moved to Chelsea the following year, winning the league again with the Blues. His energy and ability to break up play was seen as unique, drawing comparisons with Claude Makelele.

United great Paul Scholes was named in seventh. Keane described him as a "brilliant player and team-mate" who "brought that X factor" whilst also saying his ability to get a goal was massive.

Yaya Toure, the man who many credit as the biggest influence in City's title win of 2014, was named eighth. Carragher confessed he "was almost like a cheat code" when he was on top form. He edged out Rodri, the only Ballon d'Or winner on the list, with Cesc Fabregas rounding out the top ten.

1. Gerrard

2. Keane

3. De Bruyne

4. Vieira

5. Lampard

6. Kante

7. Scholes

8. Toure

9. Rodri

10. Fabregas

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