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Liverpool and Manchester City have taken over as the top dogs in the English Premier League this season, building on from last season when they became the 2 most exciting teams to watch in the division.
Tomorrow, City played Liverpool at Anfield, a graveyard for their ambitions in recent years, having last won their way back in 2003.
In light of that, here’s a look at the best XI that can be picked from the 2 sides, selecting the standard 4-3-3 formation.
GK: Alisson - Liverpool
Alisson has been a terrific signing for Liverpool this season. Since smashing the world record fee for a goalkeeper, he’s gone on to add real steel to an otherwise extremely shaky Liverpool backline, and barring the barbaric moment of a Cruyff Turn attempt on his own goal line, has been quite steady and assured throughout.
He commands his box very well, and is quick to read the danger and even quicker to dash off his line to take the required remedial action. A fairly good passing range to add makes him the goalkeeper for this XI.
RB: Kyle Walker - Manchester City
Walker has been arguably the best right back in the league for a while now, and whilst his crossing hasn’t been exquisite, his other attributes have been of more than enough quality to cement him a spot in this XI. His pace down the flank is a huge asset in both defence and in attack, supplemented with his stamina and his growing positional awareness.
A significant upgrade on City's earlier options, Walker has been an indispensable part of the City defence that, thus far, is the best in the league this season. With a goal under his belt already this season, the former Tottenham man is increasing his influence in both halves of the pitch with each game.
CB: Virgil Van Dijk - Liverpool
Van Dijk has, since his world record move from Southampton last season, established himself as one of the best centre-halves of the Premier League, if not the best outright. His fee has barely been brought up by rival fans, which is a testament to him doing his job week in, week out. A towering presence in the heart of the defence, Van Dijk is the reason that Alexander Arnold and Robertson have been able to get forward so much this season.
CB: Aymeric Laporte - Manchester City
Laporte arrived in January from Bilbao in Spain, and he has quickly settled into life in Manchester, becoming the only City defender to start all their Premier League matches this season. An assured presence on the ball as well as an alert one off it, Laporte has established himself as City’s top ball playing centre-half, and secures himself a spot in the combined XI.
LB: Andrew Robertson - Liverpool
Robertson represents the only one in the defensive setup who was bought for a single digit figure. At a paltry £8m, Robertson has gone on to establish himself as one of the league’s top left backs, linking sublime crossing ability with an unmatched work ethic.
Defensively very solid and a threat in the opposition’s box, Robertson is a personal preference of mine over Benjamin Mendy, who, just like his Liverpool counterpart, started the season in blistering form. It will be very easily justifiable to slot Mendy in this XI, but Robertson makes the cut for me due to his superior defensive ability.
CM: Bernardo Silva - Manchester City
Bernardo Silva looks more and more like the true and pure heir to David Silva’s throne with each passing game. Signed for (what now seems like) a bargain £42m, Bernardo has been pulling the strings for City in attack, with a simply delightful first touch, ability to retain the ball in extremely tight areas, and his impeccable eye for a defence-splitting pass. Bernardo looks a lot more threatening in central midfield than out wide, and it’s the reason he makes the XI as part of the midfield 3.
CM: Fernandinho - Manchester City
Fernandinho was the catalyst of City’s record-breaking season, breaking up play in the centre, and supplying a plethora of options ahead of him in attack. That, coupled with his ability to shoot the ball ever-so-cleanly from outside the box, makes him a perfect holding / defensive midfielder for this side.
Admittedly, he has been a little lethargic in possession this time around, but he is still preferred over any alternative option for this XI.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne (David Silva) - Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the most complete central midfielder in world football, based on the past season and a half. With his passing range, stamina and strength, an absolute joke of a “weak” foot, and perhaps the best right foot in the Premier League, the midfield maestro ranks second in the most assists provided (by 1) since the start of last season, despite not featuring for the Citizens this season.
However, having just returned from a lengthy injury, I’d be quite surprised if he even makes the bench for this one, in which case, the torch passes to El Mago, a player who’s ability on the ball and consistency in linking up play is unparalleled anywhere else in the league, and who will be keen to stamp his authority on the game this time, having missed the trip to Anfield in the league last season.
RW: Mohammed Salah - Liverpool
Despite not finding the best of form yet this season, Mo Salah remains an outrageously good asset for a pressing and dynamic side like Liverpool. Salah carried Liverpool en route to a Champions League final last season and broke the record of most goals scored in a single season in his debut season in a Reds shirt. With City’s record at Anfield appalling at best and Mendy and Delph facing a tantalizing race against time to be fit for the clash, Salah could be key to Liverpool getting in behind the City back line this time around.
ST: Kun Aguero - Manchester City
Sergio Aguero has been an iconic presence for Manchester City over the past near-decade at the club and has never been scarier than he is at present. Having reduced people’s claims that his time at the club was over to a bad joke at best, Aguero has thrived in a system that demands him to work harder off the ball, and get into spaces where he links up the play, in addition to being an elite goalscorer in the box.
Having had surgery at the end of last season, Aguero has been moving pain-free and looked faster and sharper than ever before during his time in a City shirt. A foot injury didn’t stop him making the Brighton defence look like schoolboys, and he will need to be at his clinical best if City are to get anything out of their game at Anfield this season.
LW: Sadio Mane - Liverpool
Mane v/s Sane was quite a tough decision to make, but the Senegalese gets the nod in the XI. Mane has been an instrumental presence for Liverpool since singing from them back in the day, and his influence in attack has only grown this season. Adept at shooting and taking on his man with pace to burn, Mane has been a thorn in the City side for the majority of the time they played each other last season.
