Who Are Liverpool’s All-Time Top Goalscorers?

Liverpool are one of the biggest football clubs on the planet. They are the most successful English team in Europe, and the Reds have won a whole host of domestic trophies, including 19 league titles, meaning they are behind only Man United in that regard. Therefore, it is safe to say that Anfield has been blessed with several of the world’s very best strikers over the years.

The likes of Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen – among others – are cult heroes in the red half of Merseyside for their goalscoring exploits in a Liverpool shirt. Here we look back at Liverpool’s all-time top scorers.

All-Time Top Scorer List

Ian Rush: Still the Man to Beat

Ian Rush’s magnificent record of 346 goals in all competitions will take some stopping. The Welshman enjoyed a stunning career, scoring 229 league goals across two permanent and one loan stint at Anfield. Rush’s first spell in Merseyside from 1980 to 1986 yielded 109 league goals. He then left for Juventus, prompting the apocryphal comment attributed to him that it “was like playing in another country”, before returning to Liverpool on loan.

Rush’s goal ratio might not have been quite as impressive the second time around, but he still managed 90 goals in 245 league appearances. The Wales superstar finally said goodbye to Anfield in 1996 when he left for Leeds United. Rush subsequently played for Newcastle United, Sheffield United and Wrexham before retiring at Sydney Olympic in 2000, where he managed just a solitary goal.

Not only did Rush score a hatful of goals in the league, but the Welshman is also the Reds’ top scorer in the FA Cup and League Cup. He netted 39 FA Cup goals and 48 goals in the League Cup. He still holds the record for the most goals in a single season, bagging an incredible 47 in the 1983-84 campaign. Additionally, despite being one of many Liverpool players over the years to have been childhood Evertonians, Rush holds the record for the most goals in the Merseyside derby. The Welsh striker bagged an impressive 25, leaving him well clear of legendary, Blue Dixie Dean (19).

Aside from breaking Everton hearts on a very regular basis, in his playing days at Anfield, Rush helped Liverpool win the European Cup in 1984. He won the Football League First Division five times, the FA Cup on three occasions, and lifted the League Cup five times to boot. He was also a Football League Super Cup and FA Charity Shield winner. Rush won a whole host of individual awards and was Liverpool’s top scorer for eight seasons.

Roger Hunt: Liverpool’s Main Man in the League

Roger Hunt still holds the record for most league goals for Liverpool, with many of Rush’s strikes coming in the various cup competitions. He also boasted a better goals-per-game record than Rush. The forward played over 400 league games for the Reds during 11 incredible years from 1958 to 1969. He went on to play for Bolton Wanderers before hanging up his boots in 1972.

Phil Taylor brought Hunt to Anfield in 1958 and the rest is history. Hunt netted his first Reds goals in a win over Scunthorpe United and went on to score another 243 in the league. Indeed, 244 of his 286 Liverpool goals were scored in the league. The Lancashire-born star scored 15 more league goals than Rush managed.

Hunt is regarded as one of the best Liverpool players of all time for his incredible goalscoring ability. In addition, he was, of course, a World Cup winner with England in 1966, helping himself to three goals in the tournament along the way. As a Liverpool player, Hunt won two First Division titles, one Second Division championship, the FA Cup once and three FA Charity Shields. He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and is also a member of Liverpool’s Hall of Fame.

Mohamed Salah: Most Continental Goals

Liverpool have had several world-class foreign strikers over the years, including the likes of Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez. Both of those forwards were scintillating during their time at Anfield and both formed superb partnerships with Steven Gerrard. However, Mohamed Salah is arguably Liverpool’s greatest overseas striker of all time. The “Egyptian King” is a huge fan favourite at Anfield, and his goalscoring record speaks for itself.

Salah has scored 137 Premier League goals for Liverpool as of the end of the 2022-23 season. In terms of overall goals he is level with Gerrard but we have put Salah ahead because a) it’s only a matter of time, and b) he has played far fewer games than the midfielder. The Egyptian is over 30 now, but the Reds’ No. 11 is showing no signs of letting up. Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot on three occasions and was named Premier League Player of the Year at the end of the 2017-18 campaign. Salah also holds the record for most goals in a debut season, netting a superb 44 goals in his first year at Anfield.

Salah’s many strikes helped Liverpool to their first-ever Premier League title in 2020, and he was excellent in the club’s UEFA Champions League winning season in 2018-19. Salah became Liverpool’s all-time leading scorer in continental football too, with a goal against Real Madrid in the Champions League in February 2023, overtaking that man Gerrard.

Steven Gerrard: Captain Fantastic

Speaking of which, Steven Gerrard is regarded by many, especially younger fans, as Liverpool’s greatest player of all time. When you think of the Liverpool players who have graced the Anfield turf over the years, that truly is a remarkable accolade, even if it is one that is hotly disputed.

Gerrard’s ability to break out of midfield and find the net was superb and, perhaps more than anything, he scored big goals, popping up when his side really needed him. He is third on the list for most appearances for the club, only behind Jamie Carragher and Ian Callaghan. Gerrard played over 500 times in the Premier League for Liverpool and ended with 120 league goals. Until Salah broke the record in 2023, Gerrard was Liverpool’s all-time continental top scorer, scoring 41 times across various competitions. He also scored 47 penalties, which is a Liverpool record.

As mentioned though, Gerrard netted some massive goals for Liverpool over the years, most notably in the 2005 Champions League final. Gerrard’s early goal in the second half in Istanbul inspired Liverpool’s dramatic comeback win over AC Milan. He also scored two goals in Liverpool’s penalty shootout victory over West Ham United in the 2006 FA Cup final. The Premier League title may have eluded Gerrard, but he won several major trophies during his 17-year Anfield playing career.

Hat-Trick Heroes

Getting a hat-trick at the top level of football is no mean feat, but several Liverpool players have scored multiple trebles. Roger Hunt holds the record for the most hat-tricks in one season, as he scored five in the 1961-62 campaign. Hunt also scored the most league goals in that incredible season, bagging 41. Gordon Hodgson scored a total of 241 goals for the Reds from 1925 to 1936. As per the table above, he is third on the all-time scoring list. Hodgson has netted the most hat-tricks in Liverpool history with a staggering 17 to his name.

Before his switch to Liverpool, Sadio Mane once scored a Premier League hat-trick in 2 minutes and 56 seconds while a Southampton player. That beat Robbie Fowler’s treble in four minutes and 33 seconds, which came about in a 3-0 win over Arsenal in August 1994. Fowler is known as “God” to Liverpool supporters, and the striker netted 183 goals in all competitions across two spells with the Anfield club.

Fowler’s instinctive finishing, love of the club (despite being yet another childhood blue!) and just the joyous way he played the game made him a real fan favourite. He let his personality shine, both through his football and his, shall we say, antics, and that endeared him to fans so much. The Toxteth lad made good (ish!) may “only” have 183 Liverpool goals to his name but for many supporters he ranks far higher in terms of their favourite player.