Ranking the best Liverpool midfield trios of All-time

Over the years we have seen a litany of wonderful players don the Red shirt. The depth of talent that has patrolled the Liverpool midfield in particular is an outrageous example of a rich history if you ever see it. Today's exercise will take a look at not individuals, but midfield trios.

I'm going to rank some of the best midfield groupings in the history of the club based on team success, overall impact, skillsets and some other intangibles.

Keep in mind, these trios might not have been together at all times of their careers but where great when together.

Let's jump right into it!

4. Ronnie Whelan, Steve McMahon and Craig Johnston

We begin our rankings with the trio that was at the heart of Liverpool's dominant teams in the 1980's as they overran the competition across the board.

While other players from those sides are more remembered, this trio allowed the likes of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush to bomb forward and rack up goals for fun.

This grouping had a very good work rate together and their energy allowed them to occasionally get forward and chip in with goals from the middle of the park which is not always the case even with the best midfields.

Whelan in particular was a very special talent on the ball as he played with a flair that was not common for his era. He could unlock a game from anywhere on the field.

McMahon and Johnston were perfect compliments to this style and it worked to the highest level it could have.

3. Ray Kennedy, Jimmy Case and Terry McDermott

Liverpool in the late 70's was an ascending club that would soon become one of the very best in the world and that was due in large part to a lot of the work done by this midfield.

Kennedy was an amazing player that could play in a variety of roles in the midfield and he chipped in with a healthy goal return as well.

Born in Kirkby, McDermott was meant to shine in Red during his career. He was awarded the PFA Player of the Year in 1980 which was a culmination of his growth as a player. He was a master technician on the ball creating chances for himself and others.

Case, another Liverpool lad, was the muscle and enforcer of this midfield as he brought a bit more rough-and-tough to the pitch. It blended well with his more creative partners in the midfield.

However, Case also did own a thunderbolt of a shot which led to him racking up a fair amount of goals for a player that did not bomb forward often.

2. Graeme Souness, Sammy Lee and Terry McDermott

McDermott makes another appearance on this list as he played at a super level in this trio as well just after the above group was broken up.

I'm going to reiterate the outstanding talent that McDermott was and he was a player well ahead of his time for sure. Souness is one of the best players overall in Liverpool history and some could argue he is the best midfielder we have seen in Red.

He and McDermott formed a sensational pair controlling the tempo of the game as they led the side to back-to-back league titles in 1979 and 1980.

Souness was never in a rush and he knew what he wanted and the best way he could go about getting that exact thing as well.

Lee for his part has gone on record that Souness is the best player he ever played with at Liverpool. For his part, Lee was a very good player that burst onto the scene as a 19-year old before establishing himself as a locked in starter.

1. Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano

At the top of this list is perhaps the most balanced midfield we have ever seen at Anfield. While they may have not been together for very long nor did they win an insane amount of trophies together, on the pitch, they were unmatched.

Mascherano was the bruiser and his tactical expertise at the base of the midfield allowed his mates to play with a free confidence things were taken care of. The Argentine could read what the opposition was trying to do before they actually did it.

Alonso was the smooth operator on the ball as the Spaniard was graceful in everything he did. His passing range was absurd and he could unlock any backline with a swing of his foot.

He controlled the tempo of matches to the best pace that suited the Reds. This led to the next level of the midfield and Gerrard who, a strong tackling midfielder in his own right, was allowed to bomb forward and wreak havoc in this trio.

He also had a wide passing range of his own and he and Alonso made a show of picking out the most outrageous long-balls you could think of.

When it comes to overall balance amongst the group, an aesthetically pleasing style and overall skill, this is the best Liverpool midfield trio we have ever seen.