When it comes to debating the Premier League's greatest ever player, should Mohamed Salah be in the conversation? Football writer Ninad Barbadikar picks the players he is up against.
Mohamed Salah is currently enjoying one of the all-time great seasons in Premier League history, that much is absolutely certain.
Following his contract renewal, Liverpool fans will look forward to two more years of the Egyptian’s excellence. But how good is he, and how does he compare to the very best?
The Premier League asked me to pick my 15 all-time greats to see how Salah ranks amongst some legends of the game.
You can vote for the greatest of all time in our poll below.
Sergio Aguero (Man City)
Whenever Sergio Aguero took to the field, chances were there was a goal coming from him. In 275 appearances for Manchester City, the Argentine scored 184 times.
Only injuries slowed down the forward, who is level with Harry Kane and Salah for the most number of Player of the Month awards with seven to his name.
Across ten years with City, Aguero enjoyed great success under every manager during his decade-long stay, winning the Premier League a total of five times.
Holding the record for the most goals scored by an overseas player in Premier League history, Aguero is undoubtedly one of the best to ever grace English football and was deservedly inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Eric Cantona (Leeds United, Man United)
Upon his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2021, the one they called the king of Old Trafford said: “We have nearly 30 players who could have been elected. Me, it's different. If you have to elect one, it's me. The other ones are all great... Me, I am exceptional!”
That quote alone defines Cantona, more than anything else.
Serving as Manchester United’s maverick superstar in the early years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign, Cantona inspired the Class of 92 and the rest of United’s stars to four league titles in five seasons.
Across 156 appearances for Leeds United and Man Utd, the at times controversial Frenchman served up 70 goals and 56 assists. He captured the imagination of English football like few others did during the 90s.
Playing with a swagger and a bold confidence never seen before in the league, Cantona also lifted the FA Cup twice.
His time at United was the spark for all the success that followed under Sir Alex, and he continues to be remembered as one of the all-time greats.
Rio Ferdinand (West Ham, Leeds, Man Utd, QPR)
Rio Ferdinand’s emergence as a ball-playing defender has become the blueprint for modern-day centre-backs as we know them today.
Ferdinand made his West Ham debut at the age of 17 and went on to play for Leeds, Man Utd and later QPR later, breaking the British transfer record for a defender twice in his career.
Becoming renowned for his ability to play out from the back and his partnership with Nemanja Vidic, Ferdinand became one of the greatest central defenders during his time at Old Trafford, lifting six Premier League titles during his spell with the club.
For his influence on defenders beyond his era, the Londoners was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
When one thinks of Liverpool, the first player immediately associated with that name is that of Steven Gerrard.
He may not have lifted the same numbers of Premier League titles as most of the other names on this list, but there’s nothing to take away from the Englishman’s influence on Liverpool and the competition as a whole.
Across a career spanning 17 Premier League seasons, Gerrard led Liverpool to multiple title challenges in addition to winning seven major titles, famously lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2005.
Like Lampard, Gerrard’s numbers very much speak for themselves. Making 504 appearances, scoring 120 goals and making 92 assists, Gerrard had an all-round offensive skillset from midfield like few others during his time. For his contributions to the Reds, Gerrard was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ryan Giggs (Man Utd)
One of the most decorated wingers to have ever worn a United shirt, Ryan Giggs’s longevity as a footballer was unmatched.
Making his debut for the club in 1990 and playing until 2014, Giggs collected a record 13 Premier League titles, winning a total of 24 major trophies during his time at the club.
To date, he still holds the record as the all-time top assist-maker in Premier League history with an incredible tally of 162 assists to his name from 632 appearances.
Most assists in PL history
| Player | Assists | Player | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Giggs | 162 | James Milner | 89 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | 115 | Mohamed Salah | 82 |
| Cesc Fabregas | 111 | David Beckham | 80 |
| Wayne Rooney | 103 | Christian Eriksen | 76 |
| Frank Lampard | 102 | Teddy Sheringham | 76 |
| Dennis Bergkamp | 94 | Thierry Henry | 74 |
| David Silva | 93 | Ashley Young | 74 |
| Steven Gerrard | 92 | Andrew Cole | 73 |
Throw in 109 goals to that equation, and what you have is the legacy of one of the most electrifying wingers of his generation.
Giggs was another who evolved his game to sustain his quality as he aged. Featuring in 22 Premier League seasons, the Welsh wizard left an indelible mark on the Premier League with his exploits.
Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Growing to prominence after joining Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, Thierry Henry became a global phenomenon thanks to his goals, his style of play and his confidence to pull off the seemingly impossible.
The Frenchman celebrated a total of seven trophies across eight seasons with the Gunners, winning the Premier League twice, including of course, the great Invincible season.
Amassing 258 appearances in the Premier League, Henry scored 175 goals along the way and laid on a further 74 assists for his team-mates.
Henry v Salah individual and team PL awards
| Premier League | Henry | Salah |
| Titles | 2 (2001/02, 2003/04) | 1 (2019/20) |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Season | 2 (2003/04, 2005/06) | 1 (2017/18) |
| Golden Boot | 4 (2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06) | 3 (2017/18, 2018/19, 2021/22) |
Producing moments of genius cutting inside off the left-flank, he struck up a great chemistry with many of his Arsenal team-mates through the years.
Later becoming a striker under Wenger, Henry’s numbers would blossom even more.
He went on to win the Premier League Golden Boot a record four times, famously scoring his career-best 30 goals for that untouchable Arsenal side in 2003/04.
With 228 goals in all competitions, Henry is Arsenal’s all-time top scorer. Redefining the modern forward’s archetype with his graceful style, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest, Man Utd)
Fierce, demanding and inspirational – these are the keywords that defined the character of Roy Keane as a player and a leader during his time in the Premier League, playing for Nottingham Forest and Man Utd.
Joining the Red Devils for a then record transfer fee, Keane would go on to prove his worth in gold, inspiring United sides as a captain to achieve seven league titles as well as a treble-winning season in 1998/99.
Keane’s rivalry with Vieira was a huge feature of latter part of his career and the tough-tackling Irishman gave it his all to the United cause with every game played.
Across 366 appearances in the Premier League, Keane notched 39 goals and 33 assists for Forest and United. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Frank Lampard (West Ham, Chelsea, Man City)
One of the finest midfielders of all time, no other player’s numbers spoke for themselves like they did for Frank Lampard in the Premier League.
After 177 goals scored and 102 assisted across 609 appearances for West Ham United, Chelsea and Man City, Lampard effectively cemented his footballing legacy.
The former England international managed to score ten goals or more for a decade at Stamford Bridge, with fans becoming accustomed to his free-kicks, goals inside the box, outside the box, Lampard could do it all.
A key pillar of every successful Chelsea side during his time at the club, Lampard’s trophy cabinet with the Blues consists of 13 pieces of silverware, including three league titles as well as Champions League in 2011/12.
Becoming a Hall of Famer in 2021, Lampard stands head and shoulders above every midfielder when it comes to goalscoring exploits in Premier League history.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd)
Another winger during the peak of the Premier League’s noughties who captured the imagination was Man Utd’s wizard from Madeira, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Joining Sir Alex Ferguson’s team of superstars during the 2003/04 season, Ronaldo would slowly but surely turn into one of the finest footballers the world has ever seen, let alone the Premier League.
Like Henry, the Portuguese’s career in England started on the flanks and eventually moved up front, where he would go on to win the Premier League golden boot in 2007/08.
That was the same season where Ronaldo’s exploits would guide United to success in the league as well as the coveted Champions League.
With 103 goals and 37 assists to his name from 236 appearances, Ronaldo’s transformation at United saw him become a force to reckon in world football.
Winning nine trophies in his first spell at the club, the Portuguese returned for a two-year spell in 2021, scoring 24 times in all competitions and being named in the Premier League Team of the Year as well.
Wayne Rooney (Everton, Man United)
Few youngsters in world football made quite the splash that Wayne Rooney did.
As a young and fearless teenager at Everton, he announced his presence to the global footballing community scoring a late game winner against Wenger’s Arsenal.
After two seasons at Goodison Park as a youth academy graduate, Rooney moved to Man Utd, where he would go on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 253 goals in all competitions.
In thirteen years at United, Rooney would become the cornerstone of United’s successful sides in that era, winning a total of 16 trophies, including five Premier League titles.
Overall, Rooney’s record of 208 goals puts him third in the all-time Premier League scorers list behind Alan Shearer and Kane. His 103 assists rank him fourth in the all-time assists chart.
Rooney’s evolution from a raw and exciting young talent to one of the most complete attackers in the Premier League is something that stands him apart from everyone else. Blending an endless engine to run, vision for the most incredible passes and a deadly eye for a goal, Rooney had it all. He was inducted into the Premier League hall of fame in 2022.
Mohamed Salah (Chelsea, Liverpool)
Liverpool’s man of the moment, Salah has already cemented his place in the club’s history books with his achievements to date, and now, with a two-year extension, he may build a greater legacy.
The Egyptian forward, who joined Liverpool in the summer of 2017, made a big impact in his first season at Anfield, scoring a then-single season record of 32 league goals across 36 appearances. He currently has 184 goals and 86 assists in the league.
Salah’s brilliance in goalscoring, creativity and ability to produce game-winning moments have underlined his superhuman consistency across his Liverpool career, where he has averaged 0.8 goals+assists per game or higher across the last five seasons.
In fact, according to his current underlying numbers, he is projected to finish with 238 Premier League goals to his name by the end of the 2026/27 season.
The 32-year-old has secured silverware eight times with Liverpool so far and will no doubt be keen to add more along with his goals and assists now he know he's going nowhere.
Paul Scholes (Man Utd)
One of the most successful members of United’s Class of ’92, Scholes enjoyed a great deal of success with the Red Devils.
Across two decades at the club, Scholes would go on to win the Premier League title 11 times, whilst also winning the Champions League twice in his time at the club.
Starting out at United as a goalscoring midfielder, Scholes went on to become one of the greatest deep-lying playmakers in world football by the end of his career, scoring an incredible 107 goals and assisting 55 along the way, in 499 Premier League appearances.
The Englishman’s vision for long-passes was unlike anyone else’s. He showed his eye for goal, especially from range, on many an occasion. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Alan Shearer (Southampton/Blackburn/Newcastle)
It is simply impossible to think of number nines in the Premier League without thinking of Alan Shearer, perhaps the greatest striker the league has ever seen.
Shearer's all-time record tally of 260 Premier League goals remains intact since his retirement in 2006, and is unlikely to be broken anytime soon.
See: All-time Premier League top scorers
Scoring 112 times during a four-year stint at Blackburn Rovers, where he also won the Premier League, Shearer has since become synonymous with Newcastle United. He would go on to spend 10 years at the club, finishing runners-up twice in the FA Cup in back-to-back seasons.
Shearer’s goalscoring ability was defined by his sheer will to make goals happen, be it with his left, his right or his head. The late great Bobby Robson dubbed him a “superb team player and an inspirational captain.”
Striking up excellent partnerships along the way in his Premier League career, Shearer enjoyed great spells alongside Chris Sutton at Blackburn and Les Ferdinand at Newcastle, amongst others.
Alongside Henry, Shearer was one of the first two inductees into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021.
John Terry (Chelsea)
One of the most successful captains in the Premier League era, John Terry led Chelsea to five Premier League titles during his time at the club, more than any other captain has ever managed.
In 492 appearances for the Blues, Terry would become renowned for his leadership ability and his partnerships with the likes of Ricardo Carvalho and Gary Cahill, amongst others.
For all of his defensive excellence as a centre-back, Terry was also an incredibly effective threat from set-pieces, scoring 41 times during his time in the Premier League, more than any other defender.
Recording 214 clean sheets in his time with Chelsea, Terry holds the record of being the only player to play every single minute of league football across his five title-winning seasons as captain. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Patrick Vieira (Arsenal, Man City)
Patrick Vieira joined Arsenal from AC Milan in 1996, with his arrival coinciding with the start of Wenger’s reign at the club.
Over the course of 307 appearances, 31 goals and 34 assisted, Vieira would go on to become one of the all-time great central midfielders in the history of the Premier League.
The Frenchman’s blend of immense physique and footballing intelligence from the middle of the park would prove to be invaluable in Arsenal’s successes during his time at the club.
Winning ten trophies with the Gunners, including three Premier League titles, Vieira’s inspirational leadership and never-say-die attitude became a definitive feature of Arsenal’s battles with their rivals in the league during those years.
In recognition of his incredible contributions, Vieira was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022.
