Legends from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United feature in our best Premier League midfielders of all time.
We have been spoiled watching the Premier League over the years, witnessing some of the finest midfielders in history.
Look back through some of the very best Premier League teams and you will see some exceptional midfielders.
Manchester United’s treble-winning side, Arsenal’s Invincibles, Chelsea’s exceptional team under Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City.
All of those teams had some outstanding central midfielders and some of them just miss the cut as we praise the seven best midfielders in Premier League history…
Roy Keane
The driving force of Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Roy Keane was prime captain material and his mentality is still on show to this day as a pundit.
The Irishman racked up more than 350 Premier League appearances across spells at Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, winning seven titles along the way.
A box-to-box threat, a dictating presence from deep and so tough in the tackle, Keane was able to do everything in Sir Alex Ferguson’s engine room.
The nasty streak in Keane’s game made him one of the Premier League’s hard men at the time and his battles with the next man in this list will go down in history…
Patrick Vieira
The real rise of the Premier League will be remembered for the battles between Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira.
Arsenal against Manchester United was true must-view stuff in the late 90’s and early 2000’s as Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson locked horns.
Their captains were the key men with Vieira and Keane not just feuding on the pitch but even in the tunnel before facing each other.
Vieira was true quality in the Arsenal midfield, with his driving runs through the middle of the pitch a key factor in Wenger’s side.
A complete midfielder with more than 300 Premier League appearances to his name, Vieira won three league titles and shaped the box-to-box midfield role.
Paul Scholes
Keane’s midfield partner for many years at Manchester United, Paul Scholes was the absolute master of the crossfield pass.
Scholes had rare, pinpoint ability when it came to finding a winger on the opposite flank but married that with a real edge to his game.
Add in that Scholes was superb at the late run into the box and capable of unleashing howitzers into the net from range and you get a pretty complete midfielder.
Some of football’s biggest names have paid tribute to Scholes over the years and Sir Alex Ferguson considered him the ‘absolute perfect player’.
A one-club man with nearly 500 Premier League appearances to his name as well as 11 Premier League titles, Scholes ticks all the boxes of a Premier League lend.
Steven Gerrard
Now we come to the only player on the list not to win a Premier League title.
Steven Gerrard was Mr Liverpool, racking up more than 500 appearances for the club alongside 120 goals.
A box-to-box sensation, an attacking midfield maestro ahead of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, a midfield dictator under Brendan Rodgers – Gerrard did it all for Liverpool.
Well, almost all; not winning a Premier League title remains the blot on his copybook, especially having come so close in 2014.
That shouldn’t take away from Gerrard’s legacy as a Premier League great, with his consistent excellence putting him alongside those with Premier League titles to their names.
Frank Lampard
The age-old debate is Gerrard or Lampard – and whether they could have ever realistically played together in a functional midfield.
Frank Lampard made more than 600 Premier League appearances across his rise with West Ham United, his journey as a Chelsea hero and his slightly odd loan spell at Manchester City.
That Chelsea spell put Lampard in the history books, becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in 2013.
Lampard also has the most Premier League goals for a midfielder, most goals out of the penalty area and ranks fourth for all-time Premier League assists.
Lampard won three Premier League titles along the way, making himself a true icon of English football.
Kevin De Bruyne
Joining Lampard at joint-fourth in the all-time Premier League assist charts is Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgian didn’t break through at Chelsea and some were baffled when City coughed up big money to sign him in 2015.
Anybody laughing then certainly isn’t laughing now with De Bruyne one of the most incredible creative midfielders in Premier League history.
De Bruyne’s ability to pick passes in the final third is simply remarkable and injuries may be the only thing stopping him from really pushing towards Ryan Giggs’ record of 162 assists.
Now 32, we may be in the final stages of De Bruyne’s Premier League excellence but he will be remembered for a long, long time having been City’s creative force whilst winning five Premier League titles.
David Silva
The final spot was a tough one with N’Golo Kante, Cesc Fabregas, Yaya Toure and Claude Makelele staking strong claims.
We have gone for David Silva though having marvelled at the Spaniard’s wizardry for 10 years.
City pounced to sign Silva in 2010, luring him away from Valencia as the Sheikh Mansour era really started to accelerate.
Silva ended up playing more than 300 Premier League games and winning four Premier League titles, but his impact can’t just be measured in numbers.
Silva played simply beautiful football and dazzled with his close control, dribbling ability and creativity in the final third.
You don’t get called ‘El Mago’ – the magician – for nothing and Silva will go down as one of the very best midfielders in Premier League history.
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