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Liverpool and Manchester City have been battling hard against each other over the last three seasons in the Premier League. Under the management of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola respectively, both clubs have pushed their northwest rivals to the limit.
This season is no different. Although Chelsea started the campaign with flying colours, the Cityzens took a comfortable lead in December. The only club capable of catching them are The Reds. With one game in hand and a trip to the Etihad in April, the nine-point gap could be shortened by The Reds.
Liverpool and Manchester City squads are brewing with quality
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It goes without saying that Liverpool and Man City have two of the best squads in the world. Players from these two clubs have won four PFA Players' Player of the Year and four FWA Footballer of the Year awards over the last four years. They have also won three PFA Fans' Player of the Year, four PFA Young Player of the Year and four Premier League Player of the Season awards.
In other words, only one of the 20 major awards was not won by either a Liverpool or Manchester City player. This shows how dominant Klopp and Pep's teams have been in recent times. But how amazing would they be if we combined their squads?
Let's look at five players from the red half of Merseyside who would get into Manchester City playing XI.
#5 Diogo Jota
Manchester City have been without a number 9 for quite some while now. Their highest goalscorer in the Premier League last year was midfielder Ilkay Gundogan with 13 goals. Although the team is never short on attacking output, a clinical finisher would be welcome at the Etihad Stadium.
Diogo Jota is a unique specimen who would thrive under Pep Guardiola. Not only is he a serial goalscorer, but he is also quick and nimble enough to play as a winger. The fluid system of the Spanish mastermind would allow Jota to play on either wing or as the centre forward.
Since Sergio Aguero's departure last summer, the centre forward slot for Manchester City has been up for grabs. Considering Jota has scored 12 Premier League goals this term, the Portuguese forward would be a great solution to the Citizens' striker issues.
#4 Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane is an integral part of Liverpool's iconic front three, including Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. Pep Guardiola has even admitted that this front three is the most potent attacking trio he has faced in his managerial career.
Mane didn't have the best campaign in 2020-21, but he has improved his goal scoring record this term. The Senegalese has scored eight goals in the Premier League. It more than Manchester City forwards like Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus and Jack Grealish.
Manchester City are filled with creative players in midfield and attack. A clinical finisher of the ilk of Mane would be a seamless fit in their left-wing role. Given an option to the Man City manager, he would certainly take the AFCON winner with his eyes closed.
#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold would be a great fit at Manchester City. The reigning Premier League champions are filled with pass masters throughout their team. Alexander-Arnold is arguably Liverpool’s best passer, making him suitable under Pep Guardiola’s system.
Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo are two great right-backs in their own right. However, Alexander-Arnold is vying to be the best Premier League full-back of all time. At only 23 years of age, he has already broken several records and is arguably the best right-back in the world.
He is also leading the assists chart this season with 10 assists in the league so far.
With Cancelo playing at left-back, Walker will have to make way for the Merseyside lad. In an ideal scenario, Andrew Robertson would also feature in the combined team. However, given Cancelo’s passing abilities, it would be a close call at this moment in time.
#2 Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is an influential leader at the back for Liverpool. His absence last season due to a knee injury cost the Merseyside giants a shot at the title. Although Manchester City have a couple of world-class centre-backs in Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte, one of them could be benched for van Dijk.
When fit, the Dutch defender is inarguably the best in the world at what he does. The difference he makes for Jurgen Klopp’s side is evident. The Reds went trophyless in 2020-21 and made it into the top four of the Premier League at the very end of the campaign.
This season, the 19-time league winners are competing on all fronts. Although they have a huge gap to overcome in the Premier League, they are still in contention for as many as four trophies this term. Needless to say, van Dijk has been the primary reason for that.
#1 Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah is the first player on the Liverpool team sheet these days. The Premier League forward will be a shoo-in for the right-winger's role in the Manchester City side. The Egyptian winger is leading the league's Golden Boot race with 16 goals already.
Apart from netting goals almost at will, the former Roma talisman has also been creative this season. Sitting on nine Premier League assists already, Salah is currently second only to Trent Alexander-Arnold in terms of assists in 2021-22.
Salah is not just a great goal scorer but also a scorer of great goals. One such strike that stunned the world came against the Cityzens earlier this campaign. He dribbled past a few Manchester City players before sending their defenders the wrong way and slotting the ball home.
