5 Best Strikers in Liverpool History (2024)

Liverpool has been hit and miss with strikers in recent years, but the club has had no shortage of quality players in that position throughout its history.

Whether they were creative and skillful or just great goal-poachers, the forward talent at Liverpool would be the envy of many clubs. Players like Robbie Fowler, John Toshack and Fernando Torres have all turned out for the club, performing at high levels.

Andy Carroll failed in his attempt to make this list, but Luis Suarez, if he stays, could do so.

We'll look on these players' goals-to-games ratio, their impact on the club, titles (Community Shield not included) and, of course, their level of skill compared to their competitors.*

Interestingly enough, some of these players formed partnerships with each other at some point in their Liverpool careers, like Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush.

It's a list that's sure to bring on the nostalgia, so click through to find out the five best strikers in Liverpool history.

*Unless otherwise stated, all statistics courtesy of LiverpoolFC.com.

Gordon Hodgson

Goals per game Ratio:0.64

Titles: 0

Despite his impressive goal-scoring ratio, Gordon Hodgson was a big fish in a small pond during his time with the Reds. It was unfortunate that his exploits didn't result in titles, but that's why he misses the cut.

Robbie Fowler

Goals per game ratio: 0.50

Titles: 5

Robbie Fowler gets edged out by Michael Owen on this list. His younger compatriot had a slightly better goals-to-games ratio, and his arrival catapulted Liverpool into a successful period.

Fernando Torres

Goals per game ratio:0.57

Titles:0

Fernando Torres could have gotten on this list had he won a title or two while at Liverpool. He was among the world's best during his time at the club.

John Toshack

Goals per game ratio:0.39

Titles:8

John Toshack formed a partnership with one of the players to make this list, Kevin Keegan. The Welsh striker was a good enough player in his own right but didn't outperform his partner or the others on this list.

John Aldridge

Goals per game ratio:0.61

Titles: 2

A quick but prolific two-year spell saw John Aldridge pick up a few titles as a replacement for Ian Rush. It's fair to say he did a good job of it.

David Fairclough

Goals per game ratio:0.38

Titles:14

David Fairclough's status as a "super-sub'" is what keeps him off this list despite his impressive trophy-haul.

Goals per game ratio:0.53

Titles:5

Michael Owen's rise to prominence signaled a period of success for Liverpool, and that's what gets him on to this list.Not to mention his goals-to-game ratio is even better than the No. 1 player on this list.

Owen's speed and clinical finishing proved instrumental to Liverpool's success during the 2001/02 season, when the club picked up a treble of cup trophies.

Other than his goal for England against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, one of the greatest moments to signify his talent was his two late goals against Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup final.

Goals per game ratio:0.31

Titles:9

Kevin Keegan brought more than just goals to the Kop. He was extremely dedicated to the club, which showed in his efforts on the pitch.

Combine that with his creativity, pace and partnership with John Toshack, and you have a forward who could do some damage.

He played an integral role in the seven trophies that came to the club during his time at Liverpool. He scored or contributed in a big way during big games. The 1973 UEFA Cup final, the FA Cup final in 1974 and the European Cup final in 1977 all come to mind as big moments for him.

Goals per game ratio:0.33

Titles:16

Kenny Dalgish's title-haul for Liverpool is matched by only one other on this list, and that shows the kind of impact he had on the club.

"King Kenny," as he's been dubbed by the Liverpool faithful, was a goalscorer of sublime skill and a creator as well. He started off his Liverpool career by topping the club's goal-scoring charts in his debut season.

The arrival of Ian Rush saw Dalglish become more of a creator, but his productivity in front of goal didn't start dipping until he became a player/manager at the start of the 1985/86 season.

Goals per game ratio:0.58

Titles: 4

Roger Hunt comes in on this list as Liverpool's second-highest all-time goalscorer, boasting the best goals per game ratio.

The only Liverpool player to appear in a World Cup final, Hunt led Liverpool back into the First Division after an impressive 1961/62 season when he scored 41 goals in 41 league games.

Three more titles then followed—two in the First Division and one in the FA Cup. It's fair to say that Liverpool's history would have been different had Hunt not turned out in the famous red shirt.

Goals per game ratio:0.52

Titles:15

Was there ever any doubt? The man on this list who played the most games (660) and scored the most goals (346), Ian Rush is Liverpool's greatest striker.

The Welsh striker played with two other great Liverpool strikers in Kenny Dalglish and Robbie Fowler and had two successful spells at the club.

He is the most clinical striker on this list, capable of scoring all sorts of goals, and it's likely that he'll remain Liverpool's top goalscorer for some time.