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Steven Gerrard is a player no more, the Liverpool legend announced on Thursday.

After a stint with the LA Galaxy in the MLS, he remains distinctly a Reds man and it's Anfield that he is hotly tipped to return to in the next phase of his career.

Should this be the case, the former England captain would be welcomed back to the club with open arms.

With Gerrard's career in the spotlight, it seems only right to remember all the players that have played alongside him in midfield - from central midfield partners to those who've helped Gerrard become the superstar he remains.

Here, MirrorFootball's Ed Malyon presents Gerrard's 50 midfield partners teammates.

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Charlie Adam

The big-boned Blackpool midfielder became hot property after a season of spraying Hollywood balls towards the corners of the Bloomfield Road pitch.

But it turned out he was only really doing that to avoid the state of the pitch, and when placed alongside Gerrard it emerged there wasn't enough space for two people to be hammering long diagonals for Craig Bellamy to chase. Adam left for Stoke after just one year on Merseyside and only six starts alongside Stevie G.

Joe Allen

(Image: John Powell)

The diddy Welshman has begun more Premier League games alongside Steven Gerrard than many illustrious names, principally by being a trusted lieutenant of Brendan Rodgers.

Indeed, he has already made 38 starts next to the former England captain and will likely make many more once the Reds skipper is sunning himself on the west coast.

Xabi Alonso

(Image: Getty)

Now this was a player. A man who single-handedly proved that raking, precision passes across the field need not be 'Hollywood balls'. In fact, when they're executed with the regularity and precision of Alonso's they become something of the norm and as the wise philosopher Joni Mitchell once said "you don't know what you've got till it's gone."

In this case, to Real Madrid to win another Champions League title and then to Bayern to win... probably another.

Premier League starts alongside Gerrard: 96

Alberto Aquilani

(Image: Getty)

Alberto Aquilani turned down moves to Chelsea and Arsenal as a teenager to stay at his hometown club, Roma. But when Liverpool came calling in 2009 he couldn't say no and he arrived at Anfield with a huge reputation and some substantial boots to fill, taking Xabi Alonso's place in midfield.

Regrettably, 18 Premier League appearances over a three-year spell barely tells the tale of a spell savaged by injuries and then drawn out by loan spells. Aquilani eventually limped back to Italy permanently with Fiorentina.

Premier League starts alongside Gerrard: 8

Ryan Babel

(Image: Getty)

Not strictly a central midfielder but having played a couple of games at number 10 for the Reds we are bunging him into the mix.

More famous now for his off-the-pitch exploits than on it, he is at Kasimpasa in Turkey.

Nick Barmby

(Image: Getty)

His son plays for Manchester United and Nick once played for Everton but he also had a brief spell at Anfield before joining Leeds.

Of 32 Premier League appearances for the Reds, he featured with a young Steven Gerrard in 18.

Yossi Benayoun

(Image: Getty)

The Premier League's best Israeli playmaker since Eyal Berkovic probably outdid himself - if we're honest - in playing for Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

But Anfield was probably his happiest hunting ground even if it wasn't his most successful (notionally Yossi has a Europa League title from his time at Stamford Bridge) and was where he made more appearances than at any of his other Premier League clubs - of which there were four.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 41

Patrik Berger

(Image: Action)

Gerrard's Czech mate, Berger played for Borussia Dortmund when gegenpressing was a frantic form of ironing and Klopp was a sound effect used on The Archers to simulate horse-riding.

Paddy Berger is actually so old that he played for both Czechoslovakia and Euro 1996 surprise package the Czech Republic alongside the original hipster's midfield of Karel Poborsky, Pavel Nedved and Vladimir Smicer (more on him later).

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 45

Igor Biscan

(Image: Getty)

His most notable contribution to Anfield folklore may well be his cameo appearance in Djimi Traore's favourite terrace song, but Biscan's under-appreciated role far exceeds his ability to fulfil a rhyming couplet with Steve Finnan or Dietmar Hamann.

Indeed, he was on the bench for the greatest European Cup final there has ever been, and played some minutes along the way to justify receiving his medal in the early hours of Thursday May 26 2005.

Which is more than many can say... for all of his detractors.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 39

Emre Can

(Image: Action Images)

His time at Liverpool will only overlap with Phil Collins' most famous fan by one season, but Can has shown enough to suggest he may be at Anfield for a long period.

He has been limited to just three starts in the league alongside the departing skipper.

Bruno Cheyrou

(Image: Getty)

Cheyrou is largely considered a rubbish signing of the Gerard Houllier era, and that is because he was rubbish signing, brought on board by Gerard Houllier.

The 12 starts next to Gerrard in the Liverpool midfield were around 11 too many.

Joe Cole

(Image: Getty)

A free signing, buckets of talent, what could go wrong?

Well, Joe Cole's best years were behind him and he couldn't stay fit, mainly.

A bizarre loan spell at Lille unfortunately failed to turn wee Joey into a famed British export and Steve Gerrard's claims that "anything Messi can do, Joe can do as well" turned out to be slightly wide of the mark.

Philippe Coutinho

(Image: Getty)

The Brazilian has potential to turn his status as a fans' favourite into club legend status if he can become the creative hub of a successful side.

Until that point, at least he's still going with the nutmegs and the no-look through balls.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 29

Salif Diao

(Image: Getty)

Oh yes, the big man started 12 games alongside Gerrard in the engine room, bringing his own unique take on the defensive midfield role to Gerard Houllier's side.

Was one of a handful of Senegalese signings who never really worked out as hoped at Anfield.

Stewart Downing

(Image: Getty)

Not a great time in the career of Stewart Downing, who for a brief spell/his entire time at Liverpool looked like a shadow of the player we've seen before and since.

Now happily rejuvenated at West Ham United you don't feel so bad about Downing's struggles at the Reds, but his 22 starts in the same midfield as Gerrard didn't bring much to smile about.

Nabil El Zhar

(Image: Getty)

Say what you like about the man (not much really, as few outside Anfield know much about him) but he has carved out a decent career.

Liverpool signed him at 20 but he never truly made the first-team grade with the Reds. Now though, he is a regular in La Liga with Levante and at international level with Morocco.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 2

Dietmar Hamann

(Image: Getty)

Gerrard's chief partner in crime with a massive 132 appearances next to Steven - and many of those in the Englishman's prime.

Hamann was the cool, experienced head while his partner would career around the pitch covering every blade of grass.

Jordan Henderson

(Image: Reuters)

Heir apparent to the outgoing Reds skipper, Hendo has had enough time alongside Gerrard now to learn from his experience and will now have the freedom, from next season, to impose himself fully on Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool 2.0.

It could well be the making of him.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 66

Jordon Ibe

A winger rather than a midfielder, his inclusion on this list seems puzzling but we don't make the rules.

One hell of a talent,

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 1

Paul Ince

(Image: Getty)

The Guv'nor (self-styled) has made more headlines recently as the questionable advisor to Tom, future England winger or League 1 star depending on where you stand.

But the end of Ince's Anfield career on the field coincided with the beginning of a young local lad's time at the club. And he turned out alright.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 3

Harry Kewell

(Image: Getty)

69 Premier League appearances in Gerrard's midfield but the most surprising start remains his appearance in the matchday XI for the Champions League final in Istanbul.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 69

Dirk Kuyt

(Image: Getty)

No he doesn't look like Sloth from The Goonies, stop being horrible.

Kuyt was the ultimate team player for Liverpool and he never lost that, as he showed at last summer's World Cup when he ended up playing left wing-back for Louis van Gaal's men without so much of a murmur of complaint. Still a Kop favourite.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 22

Adam Lallana

(Image: Reuters)

They will only have overlapped for a season but there have been points when Lallana, previously Southampton captain of course, has hinted with his play and on-field demeanour that he could perhaps be a more suitable successor to the Reds armband then the seemingly inevitable choice of Jordan Henderson.

Opta claim that he's only started 6 Premier league games alongside Gerrard, which sounds a bit light but who are we to argue?

Oyvind Leonhardsen

(Image: Getty)

There was a time when Scandinavian imports were the done thing in the Premier League. They tended to adapt well, probably for vague cultural reasons, and by an large had a good attitude to pair with no shortage of talent.

Leonhardsen was one of a few Scandinavians to pass through Anfield in this period, in addition to the likes of Bjorn Tore Kvarme, and was a handy playmaker who bumbled around the park stringing passes.

Lucky enough to play for the Crazy Gang and the Spice Boys.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 1

Lucas Leiva

(Image: Andrew Powell)

Along with Didi Hamann, the only player to break 100 starts next to Gerrard, and although these days the Brazilian is much-maligned and seemingly destined to see his Anfield career fizzle out, for years he was the defensive safety blanket that allowed his captain to maraud as he so wished.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 103

Luis Garcia

(Image: Getty)

"Luis Garcia," a wise man once said, "he drinks sangria. He came from Barca to bring us joy. He's 5 foot 7. He's football heaven. So please don't take my Luis away."

Thought-provoking words for a player involved in one of the most pivotal moments in the club's recent history. His ghost goal is more or less entirely responsible for the still-smouldering animosity between the clubs and sent them to Istanbul - where incredible things then happened.

Nice hair too.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 44

Mark Gonzalez

(Image: Getty)

The South African/Chilean winger who much was expected of and never really delivered.

In fact, that was his problem. Despite being a rapid winger - imaginatively nicknamed 'speedy' - his crossing and delivery was never really up to it but he managed to grind out a decent career nonethless.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 11

Javier Mascherano

(Image: EMPICS Sport)

The Argentine could, alongside Xabi Alonso, be one of the most successful of the players to pass through Liverpool in recent years.

An under-appreciated player for his first few seasons in the Premier League, when he eventually found his feet he shined and proved a wonderful foil for the box-to-box Gerrard.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 76

Maxi Rodriguez

(Image: Andrew Powell)

Another Argentine, Maxi was allowed to leave Liverpool in order to return to boyhood club Newell's where he has since led them to a national championship and, despite his age, managed to remain in the Argentina squad.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 27

Gary McAllister

(Image: Getty)

A balding, or possibly just bald maestro who saw a young Steven Gerrard coming into his midfield, McAllister was probably delighted to have the energetic young pup doing his legwork.

Despite only spending a short time on Merseyside, McAllister won the cup treble and scored a memorable 44-yard free kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time to beat city rivals Everton.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 21

Steve McManaman

(Image: Getty)

Macca is more famous now for scoring in a Champions League final, being the Englishman who has enjoyed the most success abroad and being generally ageless on BT Sport.

But back in his day his unmistakable hair could be seen bobbing up and down the wing while McManaman terrorised Premier League full-backs.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 2

Raul Meireles

(Image: Getty)

Before he got all the tattoos and the ludicrous hair, Meireles enjoyed a few years on Merseyside as a functional cog in the Reds midfield.

The Portugal man played just a season at Anfield before defecting to Chelsea.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 15

Victor Moses

(Image: Action Images)

Like Raul Meireles before him, VicMo followed the Liverpool and Chelsea path during his loan season at Anfield.

Regrettably, he wasn't very good and saw plenty of time on the bench as Brendan Rodgers' side mounted a title challenge very much in spite of him rather than because of him.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 3

Danny Murphy

(Image: Getty)

Adored by Liverpool fans purely for his knack of scoring winners against Manchester United (something he achieved three times in four season between 2000 and 2004) Murphy signed for his boyhood club in 1997 and was immediately plugged in alongside Gerrard.

He won six trophies at Anfield in 170 appearances, 81 of which were Premier League starts alongside Stevie G.

Antonio Nuñez

(Image: Getty)

For all of Rafael Benitez's hits in the transfer market, Nuñez was one La Liga import who never really made a splash.

The Real Madrid academy graduate was Rafa's second signing for the club and part of the deal which saw Michael Owen head to the Bernabeu, but it's probably fair to say the Spanish giants did better out of that one.

He's still kicking about the Spanish lower leagues.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 7

Jermaine Pennant

(Image: Getty)

An 'up' moment in a rollercoaster career, Pennant earned his move to Liverpool after some success with Birmingham City, but three forgettable years on Merseyside were ended by a loan to Portsmouth and then a free transfer to Real Zaragoza.

Pennant is currently at Wigan after a spell in the Indian Premier League.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 28

Damien Plessis

(Image: Getty)

Possibly the most forgettable name to make this list, the Frenchman made a solitary Prem start alongside Steven Gerrard.

After three years and sod all games at Liverpool he was off to Panathinaikos with only memories and a suitcase.

Christian Poulsen

(Image: Getty)

And who inherited Damien Plessis' legendary number 28 shirt?

Why it was Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen, whose one season at Liverpool was so unsuccessful that Roy Hodgson got binned and he ended the season as back-up to Jay Spearing.

Then he was off.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 6

Jamie Redknapp

(Image: Getty)

Kids these days might not realise it but Jamie Redknapp used to actually play football.

Yes, it wasn't always slim-cut suits and pocket squares for Harry's son, who was a Liverpool and England midfielder of some repute.

Curiously, Jamie won just one trophy in 12 years at Anfield (although he was a non-playing substitute for the FA Cup win in '92).

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 13

Albert Riera

(Image: Getty)

Riera didn't have a terrible time at Liverpool, but he did end up getting suspended by the club for comments in the Spanish press about Rafael Benitez's approach to management.

But at least that time he was sold. When he skipped a game an against Chievo Verona last November to play in a poker tournament, Riera's club Udinese sacked him on the spot.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 26

Nuri Sahin

(Image: Getty)

One of the real mysteries. Nuri Sahin is a technically sound, deep-lying playmaker who enjoyed great success at Borussia Dortmund. When a Real Madrid move didn't really work out, Liverpool looked to have snared a wonderful deal by landing him on loan for a season.

It turned out so poorly that the deal was cut short in January, allowing the Turkey midfielder to return to Dortmund where he would eventually pen another permanent deal.

A player who can't exist outside the Klopp biome or simply badly-managed?

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 7

Jonjo Shelvey

(Image: Clive Brunskill)

Having never really fitted in at Anfield, Jonjo is enjoying himself as a central part of Swansea's Monkolution (is that a thing?).

But he still managed eight Premier League starts alongside Gerrard.

Mohammed Sissoko

(Image: Getty)

A midfield enforcer whose career peaked as Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso's bouncer.

Sissoko's time was slightly ruined by an eye problem but he remained a favourite at Anfield for his all-action style.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 32

Vladimir Smicer

(Image: Getty)

Smicer's time with Liverpool was blighted by injury and inconsistency, but his introduction for Harry Kewell after just 22 minutes of the Champions League final was to be a huge moment.

The Czech midfielder scored the Reds' vital second as they rallied against Milan, and then netted his penalty in the shoot-out (his final kick for the club) as they became European Champions for the fifth time.

Fair to say that everything that had gone before was forgiven.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 48

Jay Spearing

(Image: Andrew Powell)

His unfortunate resemblance to a potato was widely mocked by those cruel Internet folk, but for a stretch under Kenny Dalglish, Jay Spearing was a first-team regular for Liverpool.

It didn't last long though, and Jay is now plying his trade in the Championship.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 6

Raheem Sterling

(Image: Andrew Powell)

If Steven Gerrard represents Liverpool's past and present, then Raheem Sterling could represent their future.

But it's likely to boil down to whether he wants to or not.

Without going too deep into what will happen with Raheem, he was brilliant latching onto Gerrard's raking diagonal balls as they challenged for the title in 2013/14 and will be some player.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 32

Suso

(Image: Getty)

Spanish, technically-gifted and young, Brendan Rodgers should have been all over Suso.

But when he didn't give the midfielder enough of a first-team chance, the Spaniard refused to extend his contract and is now at Milan.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 2

David Thompson

(Image: Getty)

David Thompson was a neat little player, more comfortable out wide but a set-piece specialist who for years was on the cusp of playing for England.

But he never quite made the grade for Liverpool, despite a glut of appearances wearing red in the early part of his career.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 14

John Welsh

(Image: Getty)

His surname was a lie and he never had much luck in a Liverpool shirt.

Now 31(!) Welsh has nonetheless carved himself out a good career in the Football League with Tranmere and now Preston.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 2

Boudewijn Zenden

(Image: Getty)

From a headline point of view, it's difficult to convey how delighted we were that there were midfielders to have played with Steven Gerrard whose surnames began with A but also Z.

It rounds things off nicely.

Premier League starts alongside Steven Gerrard: 11