5 players who have tormented Liverpool over the years

Liverpool are one of the biggest football teams, not just in the English game, but in the whole world. The Reds have been crowned Champions of England on 19 occasions, lifted the FA Cup seven times, and won the League Cup a record eight times.

They have enjoyed their fair share of dominance in English and continental football over the years. However, the Reds have also seen themselves fall victim to the prowess of others.

Their fans have repeatedly been silenced over the course of their history, and on a few occasions have fallen victim to very specific hitmen. A few top quality players have enjoyed continuous success against the Merseysiders, dominating games against the Reds on multiple occasions.

There are more than a few players who can dominate a highly decorated club, but a notable number have managed the feat so consistently. So without further ado, here is our list of the top five players who have tormented the Reds over the years:

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#5 Karim Benzema | Real Madrid

Karim Benzema celebrating a goal in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final

He might not be in the EPL with the Reds, but Karim Benzema has certainly placed fear in the hearts of their fans. Although he has only faced the English outfit since 2014, Benzema has been rather ruthless in front of goal against the Merseysiders. It's also worth noting as well that the Reds have not won a single game against Los Blancos while Benzema was playing.

In their group stage meetings in 2014, the Spanish giants handed the English side a beating at home and away. They thrashed them 3-0 at Anfield, where Benzema scored a brace. The star also scored only goal of the return fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema also played a part in Real Madrid's 3-1 win against the English side in the Champions League final of 2018. In total, the Los Galacticos marksman has scored four goals in five games against the Reds.

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#4 Thierry Henry | Arsenal

Thierry Henry attempting a shot from the edge of the box.

Instrumental to much of Arsenal's success during his stint at Highbury, Thierry Henry's clinical goalscoring ensured he tormented the Merseysiders to their fans' dismay. The former Barcelona star spent his years at Arsenal scoring some of the most spectacular goals England have witnessed, but his consistency was even better. In 18 games against the Reds, Henry managed a dramatic nine goals and three assists.

More notable, however, was their struggle to win games while Henry was on the pitch. In those 18 clashes, the Reds managed just six wins and three draws, losing a shocking nine games to Thierry Henry and Arsenal. The only solace for the Kopites would be their FA Cup final win against Arsenal in 2001. It remains the only time Liverpool have beaten Arsenal in the competition while Henry was on the pitch.

#3 Jamie Vardy | Leicester City

Liverpool v Leicester City - Carabao Cup Quarter Final

The only solace Liverpool fans will have when playing against Jamie Vardy is that Leicester City are more likely to lose the game. So far, in 15 games that Vardy has played against them, the Reds have come out victorious nine times.

That has hardly stopped the Leicester City marksman from making his mark on nearly every occasion. In those 15 games, Vardy has managed an astonishing 10 goals to boot.

From 2014 to 2018, Vardy managed a shocking seven EPL goals in eight games against the Reds. While his goalscoring prowess against them has dipped in recent years, the star notably scored a brace during their League Cup clash this season. Both sides are set to clash again this February and Jamie Vardy could potentially add to his strong tally against Liverpool at Anfield.

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#2 Didier Drogba | Chelsea

Liverpool v Chelsea - Premier League

The former Chelsea forward doesn't have the best goal-to-game ratio against Liverpool, having scored 11 goals in 30 games. However, his other contributions can hardly be ignored. In those 30 games, Liverpool managed to win just nine; less than a third of the total games Drogba played in. Aside from that, the former Ivorian international managed a stunning seven assists alongside those eleven goals. That brings his total goal contribution to 18 in just 30 games.

Chelsea beat Liverpool in the League Cup final of 2005, and Drogba's goal was the key difference. A similar event happened during the FA Cup final of 2011: Drogba's goal saw Chelsea win yet again.

While the star enjoyed a flurry of goals against the Reds in the EPL, the domestic finals they lost because of Drogba's goalscoring will hurt more. Didier Drogba tormented Liverpool throughout his tenure as the Blues' marksman, and the Reds will be happy he's now retired.

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#1 Andy Cole | Manchester United

Andy Cole of Manchester United and Phil Babb of Liverpool

The reason Andy Cole sits atop this list is because of more than just his goals and assists. While playing for Newcastle, the legendary striker scored an astonishing four goals in three games against Liverpool.

It was little surprise when Manchester United brought him to Old Trafford after he shone for the Magpies. Although he didn't manage a similar feat against the Reds while with their rivals, he still continued to score against Liverpool.

It's worth noting that throughout his career, he scored 11 goals against Liverpool and a similar number against other clubs like West Ham, Southampton and Coventry. The Reds are the only top-six club that were forced to deal with Andy Cole's clinical precision in front of goal. He tormented them totally, with the star managing over a goal per EPL game against Liverpool.