Xabi Alonso is one of the greatest passers of a football in history.At Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the elegant midfielder regularly showed off his incredible range of passing.Alonso's ability to put players clean through on goal from his deep-lying playmaker position made him an absolute nightmare to play against.“The pass master," former Liverpool teammate John Arne Riise is quoted as saying about the Spaniard."Nobody can pass the ball like him. I remember on his debut at Anfield, it probably took him about 39 minutes before he misplaced a pass. Unbelievable player.”Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard added, per Planet Football: “It was clear Alonso was royalty after our first training session together in August 2004. He was, by some distance, the best central midfielder I ever played alongside.”Alonso and Gerrard embraceAlonso really was special and in one game against Sunderland in 2005, the 39-year-old produced two of the finest assists ever witnessed in Premier League action.His first saw him play the ball on the swivel with his 'weaker' left foot perfectly into the path of countryman Luis Garcia, with the forward able to finish off the opportunity first-time.Alonso's second assist of the day was an inch-perfect pass through Sunderland's defensive lines that released Gerrard, who rounded the 'keeper and rolled the ball into the back of the net.The guy made them both look so, so easy as well...

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Phenomenal stuff from a player who oozed class wherever he went.

To produce one of those assists is an impressive feat, but to deliver both in the same game to secure a win for the team away from home is just staggering.

But that was what Alonso was capable of in his prime, a footballer who could dismantle the opposition with one swing of his boot.

Despite their success in recent years, Liverpool have still never really replaced Alonso and in truth, the Reds may never be able to find another player quite like the Spaniard.