Gilberto Silva Ranked Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes From Worst to Best

· GiveMeSport

The former Arsenal man has had his take on the eternal debate

One of the biggest debates in English football, one that still rages today and is usually brought up during every international break, is who was the better player: Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard? The question is one that has split opinions throughout the sport, with fans, players and pundits offering their takes on the subject.

All three shone in the Premier League. Scholes represented Manchester United and was key to their success throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Gerrard was Liverpool through and through, guiding the Merseyside club to the promised land on multiple occasions throughout the 2000s and 2010s, and Lampard first impressed at West Ham United before becoming a Chelsea legend, known for his goalscoring exploits as the Blues wrestled control of the Premier League from United during the 2000s and 2010s.

All three were very different kinds of players, but they've been compared to one another for two decades now. Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva was the latest former player to give his opinion on the trio and he ranked them from worst to best during an appearance on the podcast, From My Left.

During his appearance on the From My Left podcast, Gilberto was tasked with ranking Patrick Vieira with Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard. The Brazilian wasted no time ranking his former teammate in first place, before then moving onto the English trio. In first place, he picked Scholes.

The two did battle during Arsenal's rivalry with United in the early 2000s, with the two teams competing for the Premier League title. The ex-Gunner even went on to describe Scholes as the toughest player he ever had to face off against. Speaking about the former United star, he said:

> "He was very smart. Every time I had to face him in the middle, the challenge, he was very smart. These players raise your game and you have to raise your standard to face them."

Scholes is considered the best midfielder in Premier League history, so there won't be many who disagree with Gilberto's decision to rank him ahead of Gerrard and Lampard. In second place, he picked the Liverpool man.

Over the years, Gerrard earned a reputation for his ability to lead Liverpool through the toughest of circumstances. He is beloved by the Reds faithful and there aren't many fans of the club who would choose anyone over him.

Lampard came last in Gilberto's ranking. The former Chelsea man is the greatest goalscoring midfielder in Premier League history. He became the first player in his position to score at least 10 league goals in 10 straight seasons and always stepped up to the plate when the Blues needed it most.

He was a fierce competitor and was also a dependable leader, always rising to the occasion when John Terry was unavailable, such as in the 2012 Champions League final.

Now, out of the trio, he is the best manager of England's golden generation midfield, with his latest achievement seeing him take Coventry City from consistent Championship playoff contention to the league title, with the Sky Blues back in the Premier League in the 2026/27 season.

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