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#5 Patrick Vieira | Arsenal, Manchester City
Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive midfielders in Premier League history. The Frenchman led Arsenal during their historic and unprecedented 'Invincibles' season in the 2003/04 campaign.
Vieira was one of the best there was for a host of different reasons, ranging from his tactical intelligence to his excellent reading of the game. Although many could classify him as a traditional 'defensive' midfielder, in truth, he was much more than that.
The towering Frenchman was essentially a box-to-box midfielder who dominated the middle of the park. His unique physique and unbelievable athleticism also enabled him to win the ball back with utmost ease. He could participate in the build-up, surge forward into the box as well as score crucial goals from a distance.
As hard as it might be to believe, Vieira's leadership was one of the most standout qualities apart from his apparent gifted talent on the ball. He led by example and defended his badge with everything he had. Vieira was at the heart of three Premier League-winning squads and won a Player of the Year award to go with it.
He appeared 307 times in the Premier League and scored 31 goals, setting up a further 34 for his teammates. Vieira, to this day, remains one of the greatest midfielders and captains the Premier League has ever seen.
#4 Roy Keane | Manchester United, Nottingham Forest
The most successful captain in the Premier League era, Roy Keane, was an enigma. On the footballing side, he was unparalleled in his prime in several aspects, most notably those of aggression on the pitch and winning the ball back. Keane could carry the ball higher up the pitch, break opposition attacks, and cover every blade of grass on the field.
He was, however, a highly controversial figure as well. The Manchester United icon was an era-defining player for the Red Devils and led his side by example. His mentality went hand-in-hand with his powerful physique and relentless energy to last the full 90 minutes despite covering the length of the pitch. Speaking on the legendary Irishman, former teammate Gary Neville elucidated;
"His greatest gift was to create a standard of performance which demanded the very best from the team. You would look at him busting a gut and feel that you'd be betraying him if you didn't give everything yourself."
Although Keane, like Vieira, is perceived as a traditional holding midfield player, he succeeded at playing in a more advanced role. In his 366 appearances, he scored 39 goals and set up a further 33. Keane has a whopping seven Premier League titles to his name and led the Red Devils to a historic treble in 1999.
#3 Frank Lampard | West Ham, Chelsea, Manchester City
Chelsea's club legend and current manager Frank Lampard was a phenomenon and had a stellar playing career with the Blues. He moved to Stamford Bridge from West Ham in 2001 as a promising player in his early 20s and left as their record goalscorer and arguably their greatest ever player.
Lampard was an influential midfielder who has played in a variety of roles throughout his career. Having played relatively higher up in a more attacking role early on, he gradually transitioned into a deeper-lying midfielder. The Englishman's accurate passing, vision, and ability to control a game meant that he was able to play deeper and still prove to be a threat.
Lampard's surreal ball-striking ability was a different threat entirely that opposition players had to deal with. His ability to strike the ball from both open play and dead-ball situations was incredible. The very fact that he's the only midfielder on the list of 10 highest goal scorers in Premier League history speaks volumes about his goal threat.
His 177 goals (fifth-highest) and 102 assists (fourth-highest) mean that he's one of only three players to have 100+ goals and assists in the league. The three-time Premier League winner also has a Player of the Year award for his superb 2004/05 season.
#2 Steven Gerrard | Liverpool
Liverpool's most exceptional player in the Premier League era, Steven Gerrard is one of the most mythological players in English football history. He was a man who could practically do everything on the pitch, and on many occasions, he did precisely that.
Gerrard is undoubtedly the most complete player to have ever graced the Premier League. He could pass the ball with unbelievable accuracy, make tackles, dictate play, and lead his side all at the same time. Not to mention his ability to tear the net with his ferocious strikes from range, which came in clutch moments as well.
The most breathtaking aspect of all of his achievements is that he maintained an incredible level of performance despite difficult circumstances. The Englishman did not have the luxury of being part of Premier League-winning sides in the past. However, that didn't stop him from becoming one of the greatest players in the league's history, let alone the greatest midfielders.
The fact that he ranks second despite being the only player on this list without a league title is a testament to Gerrard's footballing ability. Outside of the league, he's the only player in history to have scored goals in the finals of the FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Cup and Champions League — winning all of them. He played 504 games in the league over 17 years, scoring 120 goals and assisting 92.
Undoubtedly a legend of the game.
#1 Paul Scholes | Manchester United
Paul Scholes is considered as the best Premier League midfielder of all time. The Englishman was at the heart of Manchester United's most illustrious period, alongside the likes of Roy Keane, Gary Neville, and others star names. Scholes received plaudits from all over the world for his footballing intelligence and ability.
The legendary Englishman was an expert playmaker who combined his unparalleled vision with near-perfect execution. He could find his teammates with the most breathtaking passes that split open defences within a matter of moments.
Scholes was lauded for being a complete player as he had the positional understanding to play a range of roles. He had a relatively wider role for England, and for the Red Devils, he played everywhere in midfield. Scholes played in a two-man pivot, as an attacking midfielder, as well as a defensive midfielder later on. He was the metronome that made Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest Manchester United sides tick.
Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane once famously named Scholes as his hardest opponent, saying;
"My toughest opponent? [Paul] Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation... There is no doubt for me that he [Paul Scholes] is still in a class of his own."
Over his 499 Premier League appearances, Scholes racked up 107 goals and set up a further 55 assists, and has an astounding 11 league titles to his name. Paul Scholes is truly a Premier League great, and one of the greatest of his generation.
