SO WHERE DOES SERGIO AGUERO FEATURE IN MARTIN KEOWN’S ALL-TIME LIST?
SERGIO AGUERO looks unstoppable at the moment but is he the best in Premier League history? Stats show he has a better goal ratio than anyone but he is not at the top of my list of Premier League strikers. He’s not far off though . . . 1 THIERRY HENRY
His package of pace, power, skill, intelligence and trophies makes him my No 1. He was a dramatic driving force when he was in the zone. He was an unstoppable force, once he realised he could win games. When he scored his first goal — at Southampton — I said to him that I would be able to tell my grandchildren that I had played with him. And I rarely congratulated people! He looked at me astonished. 2 LUIS SUAREZ
He is like a little rat, who wriggles free of people to score goals. His opportunism and ability to score glorious goals in a good but not brilliant team were exceptional. He played on the edge and took things too far sometimes. But he also gave us incredible moments. 3 SERGIO AGUERO
If he doesn’t get away from someone first time, he’ll just stop and then try again with a little swivel and drop of the shoulder. Then the ball is in the back of the net. Everything’s very controlled and he’s one of the few who don’t seem to have a nasty side. And when Manchester City most needed Aguero on the final day a few seasons ago, he rose to the occasion. 4 ALAN SHEARER
My Match of the Day colleague didn’t score too many goals against me but he was prolific; lethal in front of goal. He hit the ball harder than anyone else and had a supreme confidence in his striking ability. He wasn’t big but had excellent spring and used his body well to score so many headers. You had to be so tight to him or he’d bury the ball. 5 DIDIER DROGBA
I’d have loved to have played against him. As a lone striker, he was second to none. He could occupy both centre halves with his movement. At his peak he played on the shoulder and was so powerful. He was so much better than the rest that he still has a role under Jose Mourinho. He bullied defenders. 6 DENNIS BERGKAMP
The maestro. People didn’t realise how fast he was because he often played so deep. You couldn’t catch him. He had such vision, balance, intelligence and skill. His right foot was like a hook. Henry learned so much from him. He was a perfectionist too, always looking for the perfect pass. Everything he hit was so clean. 7 WAYNE ROONEY
He could yet move up my list, depending on the next few years. His breakthrough was phenomenal. I like his determination and the fact he can score any type of goal. He could play in almost any position but I still like Rooney (below) deeper. His record and trophy cabinet say it all. 8 ROBBIE FOWLER He reminds me regularly that he scored the fastest Premier League hat-trick — against me! I think he is the most natural finisher I’ve seen. Scoring seemed so effortless, he didn’t need to leather it but just guided the ball in. Injuries stopped him from maintaining the same absurd levels. 9 IAN WRIGHT
Everyone talked about the Arsenal back four but Wright scored the goals that won games. He was a showman and didn’t really enjoy tap-ins. He liked to vary his finishes and you could not guess where he was going to put it. I played against him too and he was determined and strong. 10 MICHAEL OWEN
His double in the 2001 FA Cup final against us really hurt. He was like Roy of the Rovers, someone out of a comic who burst on to the scene and blew Argentina away. If you gave him any space behind you, he was gone and he’d score. He would have breezed past Bobby Charlton’s England record if not for injuries. He was never the same again after them. 11 RUUD van NISTELROOY
His intelligence set him apart from the rest. I had some quite famous battles with him! His runs were very clever, often standing in an offside position to get ahead of you, then the play would switch sides and you’d have to catch up with him before the cross came in to him. He was an absolute nuisance.
PS You may not agree with my choices; there are a few other strikers who deserve a mention but finished just outside my ‘First XI’. Les Ferdinand was one of my toughest opponents, Nicolas Anelka could have been the new Henry, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke are often underrated, Robin van Persie has had his career blighted by injury and Teddy Sheringham’s longevity was incredible.