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it was once a staple of the football season, but over the last 25 years or so, an England v Scotland fixture has been a rather rare sighting; one for the history buffs and the old-timers, rather than the younger supporters.

That’s changed a little of late, to be fair. After a 13-year absence, the sides met at Wembley in 2013, and followed that up with a fixture at Hampden Park last November. England, of course, won both.

They, though, were friendlies. On Saturday, the sides were drawn in the same qualification group for the 2018 World Cup. Game on.

Never ones to miss out, the ECHO has compiled what we believe are the greatest English and Scottish XIs ever to have worn the red shirt.

Tell us what you think below or @LivEchoLFC...

England XI

Ray Clemence

Without doubt the greatest goalkeeper ever to play for Liverpool. After signing from Scunthorpe in 1967, Clemence replaced Tommy Lawrence on a permanent basis during the 1969-70 campaign. Incredibly, he missed just six league matches during an 11 year period with Liverpool, racking up 665 appearances. He also won every major honour in the game apart from the European Cup Winners’ Cup and his form for Liverpool helped him win 61 caps for England.

Phil Neal

The most decorated player in Liverpool history. The full-back helped bring 22 trophies to Anfield and was the only player to feature in all of the Reds’ first four European Cup triumphs. The right-back made 650 appearances in an 11-year spell on Merseyside, scoring 59 goals. He also won 50 caps for England.

Jamie Carragher

One of Liverpool’s greatest ever servants, Carra made 737 appearances during a 17-year senior career, a tally bettered only by Ian Callaghan. The Bootle-born defender won seven major trophies, including, memorably, the 2005 Champions League in Istanbul. He also won 38 caps for England.

Phil Thompson

One of the most decorated players in English football history. Paisley regarded Thompson as one of the “best possible examples of a true professional,” and the Kirkby-born defender played 477 times for his boyhood club, scoring 13 times. He also played 42 times for England, scoring once.

Gerry Byrne

After making his league debut at Charlton Athletic on 28th September 1957, Byrne appeared 333 times for Liverpool during a 12 year stay. He was also capped twice by England, and was a member of England’s World Cup winning squad in 1966.

Steven Gerrard

What more remains to be said? A total of 710 games, 186 goals, and seven major honours during a 17-year senior career. With 114 caps for his country to boot, the word ‘legend’ barely covers it.

Ian Callaghan

The midfielder has made more appearances than any other Liverpool player, wearing the red shirt a remarkable 857 times Callaghan scored 68 times for the Reds, and won almost every honour possible. He was capped four times by his country, and was a member of the 1966 World Cup winning squad.

John Barnes

One of the most naturally-talented players to have ever played for the Reds, Barnes made 407 appearances and scored 108 goals during a 10-year career on Merseyside. Won 79 caps for England, and scored 11 times for his country, though he was often accused of underachieving at international level.

Kevin Keegan

An icon both for Liverpool and England, Keegan made 323 appearances for the Reds, scoring a century of goals to ensure he is rightly remembered as one of the finest players ever to wear a Liverpool shirt. He also won 63 caps for England, notching 21 goals and captaining his country.

Roger Hunt

Liverpool’s all-time record league goalscorer, and a World Cup winner with England in 1966, A natural goalscorer, netted 286 times for Liverpool in 492 appearances. He also plundered 18 in 34 caps for his country.

Michael Owen

Exploded onto the first-team scene as a 17-year-old and left Liverpool with a ratio of a goal every two games and an FA Cup final named after him. Owen played 297 times for Liverpool, scoring 158 goals. He was just as prolific for his country, scoring 48 times in 89 caps.

Scotland XI

Tommy Lawrence

A key figure in the Bill Shankly reign throughout the 1960s, winning two First Division titles and the 1965 FA Cup during his time at Anfield. Made 390 appearances for Liverpool, and was capped three times by Scotland between 1963 and 1969.

Gary Gillespie

Became Joe Fagan’s first signing, but had his work cut out for him at Liverpool to split up the successful Lawrenson and Hansen partnership in the centre of defence. Went on to make 214 appearances, bagging 16 goals. Was capped 13 times by Scotland.

Alan Hansen

Widely regarded as one of the most influential players in Liverpool history, Hansen was a magnificent centre-back who oozed class and authority. Signed for £100,000 from Partick Thistle in 1977, he went on to win eight First Division titles, three European Cups and an FA Cup. Bafflingly, he won just 26 caps for Scotland.

Ron Yeats

Despite only being capped four times by Scotland, Yeats remains one of the longest-serving Liverpool captains ever. Having joined from Dundee United in 1961, he became an integral part of Shankly’s great team of the 1960s, making 454 appearances.

Steve Nicol

One of the best full backs in Liverpool’s history, performing with brilliant consistency for 13 years at Anfield. Signed by Bob Paisley as a teenager, he went on to win five league titles, three FA Cups and the 1984 European Cup, scoring 46 goals in 468 appearances for the Reds. He played 27 times for Scotland.

Graeme Souness

Undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history. During six glorious years on Merseyside, in which he was named captain by Paisley in 1981, he won five First Division crowns, three league cups and three European cups. Souness played 359 games for Liverpool, bagging 55 goals, and was capped 54 times by Scotland.

Gary McAllister

Signed from Coventry City in 2000, aged 35, but went on to become an Anfield hero. Played a key part in the Reds winning an unprecedented cup treble in 2001, and left Merseyside with an impressive 60.92% win ratio. The recently-appointed first team coach played 87 timed for Liverpool, scoring 9 goals, and was capped 57 times by Scotland.

John Wark

Moved to Anfield in 1984, and made an instant impression, winning the league title in his first season. He scored 27 goals from his attacking midfield role that year too - more than Ian Rush. Injuries curtailed his progress somewhat in the years after, but he still made 108 appearances, scoring 42 times. He also won 29 caps for Scotland.

Billy Liddell

Often ranked among the top five players in Liverpool’s history, and he was a hero at Anfield in a career stretching across four decades between 1938 and 1961. Such was his influence that the club was dubbed “Liddellpool” at the time. The winger scored 228 goals in 534 appearances for the Reds. At international level, he scored eight times in 29 matches.

Kenny Dalglish

In the eyes of many, there has never been a greater player to represent both Liverpool and Scotland than “King Kenny”. Dalglish joined the Reds in 1977, and went on to win 17 major trophies in 13 years at Anfield. Dalglish appeared 515 times for Liverpool, scoring 172 goals, and has also, of course, managed the club twice. Won 102 caps for Scotland, scoring 30 times.

Ian St John

Left Motherwell for Merseyside in 1961, and became a hugely important player under Shankly in the 1960s, forming a devastating strike partnership with Roger Hunt. He scored 118 goals in 425 matches for the Reds, including the winner in the 1965 FA Cup final. For Scotland, he scored nine times in 21 games.