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Wing-back: Joao Cancelo | Manchester City
Wingbacks are often the workhorses of modern football teams and one such player who can shine against Chelsea is City's Joao Cancelo. They are expected to perform the dual duty of contributing in defence and also be decisive in the final third and generate goal-scoring chances from the flanks, mostly in the form of pin-point crosses.
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Cancelo has emerged to be one of the best wing-backs in the Premier League this term and has been a key member of the Manchester City defence that has the best record in the English top-flight.
He has finally found his feet at the Etihad Stadium and Pep Guardiola trusts him enough to make him the first-choice right-back over Kyle Walker.
Defensive midfielder: N'Golo Kante | Chelsea
One of the guaranteed starters in our hypothetical XI is Chelsea's midfield general N'Golo Kante. The Frenchman is one of the best defensive midfielders of our times, and though he struggled earlier this season, his performances against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League were a reminder of the kind of ability he possesses.
His tireless running behind the ball and defensive prowess will be key factors in breaking Manchester City's buildup play. A return to form for himis good news for the Blues, as they need to be firing all engines in this final leg of the season.
Central Midfielder: Mason Mount | Chelsea
Mason Mount has emerged as kind of a poster boy for the next generation of home-grown talents in the English top-flight and has been one of the best Chelsea players this season, having impressed equally under Frank Lampard and now Thomas Tuchel.
He is Chelsea's joint-top scorer in the Premier League with six goals, and more importantly, most of his goals have come at crucial moments. Midfield has been the visitors' strength this term and Mount has come to the fore in the area with his impressive performances.
Central Midfielder: Phil Foden | Manchester City
When it comes to emerging midfield talents in the English top-flight, Phil Foden is one of the first names that come to mind. The 20-year-old has had a breakthrough campaign with the Cityzens this season and established himself as a first-team regular.
Though he does not have the physical ability to hold off opponents and maintain possession, his technical skills make up for his lack of muscle. His quick feet and good ball-control make him a great asset in the middle of the park as he can manoeuvre the ball under tricky situations.
His distribution skills and an eye for the goal are what make him such a dangerous player to go up against.
Wing-Back: Ben Chilwell | Chelsea
If City have Cancelo running up and down the right flank, Chelsea' possess Ben Chilwell, who is one of the best left-backs in the Premier League at the moment. Chilwell had been a familiar name in the English top-flight before making a move to Chelsea from Leicester City.
His pace and presence of mind has helped him create a lot of chances from the left flank and his pin-point crosses are one of the reasons why he has six assists across all competitions.
Also See: 6 managers with the most Champions League trophies
