Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher picks Everton icon ahead of Gareth Bale

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has named Everton hero Neville Southall ahead of Gareth Bale in his Carra Challenge XI on Sky Sports.

The legendary Welsh goalkeeper is widely deemed one of Everton’s best ever players, with 750 appearances for the Goodison Park club in all competitions under his belt.

Southall also has numerous trophies on his CV including two First Division titles, two FA Cups, a European Cup Winners’ Cup and three Charity Shields.

In 2004, Southall was voted Everton’s all-time cult hero by BBC Football Focus viewers, winning with 74 percent of the vote ahead of fellow Toffees fan favourites Alan Ball and Duncan McKenzie (BBC Sport).

The Carra Challenge involved selecting an XI of players from Premier League clubs over the years, but with only one player per club and also one player per nation.

Although Carragher admitted he found it tricky having to leave Real Madrid superstar Bale out, he felt he couldn’t omit Southall, who ended up making the cut instead of his fellow Welshman.

“Southall goes in with Wales, meaning I couldn’t have Gareth Bale, which is something I thought a lot about, but that allowed me to get Luka Modric in midfield,” wrote Carragher.

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While it may seem surprising at first glance to see Carragher opt for an Everton legend in his all-time XI, the Reds icon has always been a fan of the former Toffees keeper.

Indeed, back in 2005, Carragher named Southall in his Perfect XI on FourFourTwo.

“I was an Evertonian as a kid and I stood behind him many times on the terraces so I couldn’t look beyond Big Nev for my goalkeeper,” said the then Liverpool defender.

“He saved Everton so many times over the years and even now he’s still probably the best keeper I have ever seen.”

Although Liverpool and Everton may be big rivals, it’s great to see so much respect and admiration from one club legend to another.