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Steven Gerrard turns 40: Notable players never to win the Premier League

Steven Gerrard: Liverpool legend never won the Premier League. However, the Liverpool legend is not the only big name to have missed out on the title.

By Rob Lancaster
Steven Gerrard

London, May 30: Steven Gerrard enjoyed plenty of success during his illustrious playing career.

As a youngster, he was part of Gerard Houllier's Liverpool squad that completed a cup treble in the 2000-01 season, including beating Deportivo Alaves 5-4 after extra time in the UEFA Cup final.

Then there was the Miracle of Istanbul under Rafael Benitez in 2005, followed a year later by an equally unforgettable FA Cup win. Gerrard was the talisman on both occasions, playing his part in the comeback against Milan before going on to deny West Ham at the death in Cardiff.

With fellow club legend Kenny Dalglish there was a third EFL Cup success, but a league title eluded Gerrard. The Reds ran Manchester United hard in the title race in 2008-09, then came up agonisingly short five years later with Brendan Rodgers at the helm.

But Gerrard is not alone in missing out. As the ex-England international turns 40, take a look at 10 other notable names who never got their hands on the Premier League trophy.

Gareth Bale

After a slow start, Bale eventually blossomed into a superstar at Tottenham. The left-back signed from Southampton benefited from a switch into a more advanced position, scoring 39 goals in all competitions in his final two seasons with Spurs. However, the best finish he managed in a Premier League campaign before joining Real Madrid in 2013 was fourth.

Marcel Desailly

Frenchman Desailly became accustomed to winning during his time with Milan. He just so happened to win the World Cup in 1998 with Les Bleus – then followed that up two years later by adding Euro 2000 to his list of honours. Yet there was no Premier League crown during a lengthy Chelsea stint, instead having to make do with the FA Cup in 2000.

David Ginola

A winger renowned for his flair (and his hair), Ginola was part of the Newcastle United squad that succumbed under pressure from Manchester United in 1995-96. Kevin Keegan's swashbucklers led by 10 points at Christmas, only to end up as bridesmaids. At Spurs, the Frenchman was named PFA Players' Player of the Year, while he also played for Everton and Aston Villa.

Juninho

Middlesbrough certainly made a splash when promoted to the top tier in 1995, bringing a touch of Samba flair to their new Riverside home by signing Juninho from Sao Paulo. It was a transfer coup at the time and the diminutive Brazilian made a big impact, too. He left for Atletico Madrid in 1997 and, after returning on loan for the 1999-2000 season, he came back for a third stint, though his only trophy was the EFL Cup in 2004.

Harry Kane

Will Kane overtake Alan Shearer as the Premier League's all-time leading scorer? Can he win the competition if he stays at Spurs? You would be forgiven for feeling one of those is more realistic than the other, particularly after the near misses of the Mauricio Pochettino era. That 2015-16 season for Tottenham must feel like the one that got away.

Matt Le Tissier

A one-club man in the top flight, Le Tissier became more accustomed to battling against relegation than getting involved in title fights. Southampton relied on his goals to help stave off the threat of the drop some years, but rumours of a move elsewhere never materialised during his peak. He finished up with 100 Premier League goals, plenty of them penalties.

Mesut Ozil

Perhaps epitomising Arsenal as a whole during his time in north London, Ozil has both delighted and frustrated fans. His playmaking abilities are not in doubt, but is he a luxury you can afford in your XI? A three-time FA Cup winner with the Gunners, the former Germany international's best league result is second to surprise winners Leicester City in 2016.

Luis Suarez

A former team-mate of Gerrard's at Liverpool, Suarez was an integral part of the 2013-14 Reds that seemed destined to end the club's long wait for glory. The Uruguayan scored 31 goals in 33 league games, yet a late slump left their top scorer in tears as Manchester City pipped them to the post. The following campaign, the forward had moved on to Barcelona.

Fernando Torres

Torres formed an outstanding partnership with Gerrard during their time together at Anfield. The pair were influential in a memorable 4-1 triumph at Old Trafford in 2009, yet United had the last laugh that season, ending up four points clear of their rivals. The Spaniard also finished second again two years later with Chelsea, although by then he was a shadow of the striker he once was.

Gianfranco Zola

A hugely popular signing by Ruud Gullit in November 1996 who later returned to work at Chelsea as assistant to Maurizio Sarri, Zola scored 59 Premier League goals and grabbed the winner off the bench in the 1998 Cup Winners' Cup final triumph over Stuttgart. There was also FA Cup and EFL Cup success during his time in England, just no league crown.

Story first published: Saturday, May 30, 2020, 16:00 [IST]
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