Picking Liverpool's dream '00s five-a-side team - including divisive figure among fans

Liverpool are closing in on the second Premier League title and the champagne is on ice ready for their post-season celebrations.

With a trophy all but wrapped up and in the bag in Arne Slot’s debut season, this new era at Anfield is looking extremely bright. Liverpool have also made some statement moves to pave the way for an exciting future — announcing Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have both committed to new contracts.

The duo are undoubtedly two of the most influential players Liverpool have ever seen. Salah and Van Dijk join a long and ever-growing list of Reds icons who have stamped their name in the club’s folklore.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a look back through the years and stepped back in time to the 2000s. The spine-tingling night in Istanbul, the famous FA Cup ‘Gerrard’ final in 2006... Liverpool have a lot of memories from this era, so we’ve listed our standout players in this ultimate Liverpool five-a-side team.

Liverpool’s dream five-a-side team from the 2000s

Goalkeeper: Pepe Reina

Jerzy Dudek stamped his status as a club hero following his almost unexplainable performance in the 2005 Champions League final. That alone is enough to earn him a mention in most teams but Pepe Reina’s reliable presence in between the sticks cements his place here.

Reina was consistent and intelligent and made a huge impact on both Liverpool and the Premier League. Rafa Benitez hailed him as the ‘best goalkeeper in Spain’ when he signed from Villarreal, and he certainly proved his worth in England, with three consecutive Golden Glove awards and a Liverpool Player of the Season honour.

Centre-backs: Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia

We’ve gone with the more defensive-minded 2-1-1 formation here, mainly because it felt criminal to bench one of the two centre-backs. Sami Hyypia was a sheer colossus during his time at Liverpool and a firm fan favourite. Ever-reliable and a threat to the attack, the Finnish icon is up there as one of the club’s best purchases of the era, costing a little more than £2 million.

Jamie Carragher is the second-longest serving player in Liverpool history and threw everything he had into his performances. A solid, passionate and determined figure at the back, almost nothing fazed Carra. You only have to go back to his relentless performance in Istanbul while playing through cramp as the Reds made their historic European comeback that many still believe they had no right on paper to do.

Central midfield: Steven Gerrard

Always one of the easiest choices when it comes to picking any ‘Best’ Liverpool team. As one of the most iconic and influential players the club has ever seen, Captain Fantastic brings everything to the table and there were plenty of times where he carried the team on his back.

Many argue Steven Gerrard deserved much more during his playing career. And really, you can’t help but wonder how the Jurgen Klopp era would have looked if Steven Gerrard was still playing and how many trophies they would have won together.

Centre-forward: Michael Owen

Not the most popular opinion among Liverpool fans but it’s impossible to overlook the impact Michael Owen had up front during his time at Anfield. As a player who made scoring goals look easy against pretty much any opponent, backed up by the pinpoint threat of passes and long distance shots from Gerrard, this attack is one to fear.

Honourable mentions

The problem with five-a-side is there is never enough room in the lineup for everyone who deserves it. We’ve listed some honourable mentions as substitute options, but even these are still missing some other club icons.

The first is Fernando Torres, who was a real force to be reckoned with and struck up a stunning partnership with Gerrard. His status as a club icon is firmly etched in Liverpool’s history and he will always be remembered for how easily he glided through defenders and his ability to score from pretty much any angle.

Xabi Alonso is also up there as one of the best midfielders Liverpool have ever seen. Able to put the ball on a sixpence with his pinpoint accuracy, his eye for creativity and picking out the perfect pass is something that would make the Reds of today almost unstoppable. Let’s not forget the sensational long-range goals he had in his locker too. Unafraid to unleash from areas most wouldn’t even dare, Alonso was a real midfield menace.

John Arne Riise is a Liverpool player who criminally goes under the radar a lot of the time. Capable of a stunning goal with his thunderbolt of a left foot, the Norwegian treated Reds fans to shirtless celebration after shirtless celebration during his time with the club. Riise was a powerhouse at left-back and was never afraid of getting stuck right in. He’d benefit this side with an extra eye for creativity and pinpoint crosses, supporting the natural goal-scorers in Owen and Alonso, while getting right up into the attacking spaces to cover for Gerrard and Alonso.