Combined XI: Manchester City vs Arsenal

Manchester City will be again looking to keep up with the pace set by league leaders Chelsea when they face Arsenal tonight at The Etihad. Jose Mourinho's men continue to dictate the title race at the top with their five goal victory over Swansea last night taking them five points clear.Manuel Pellegrini and his army in blue will certainly go out all guns blazing against the Gunners, while Arsene Wenger's men will look to stay in touch with the pack who are all vying for the remaining two Champions League places.It's a match-up of two of the biggest teams of English football, who have had contrasting fortunes in recent times. However, the talent and names on display tonight will make the match one to behold. Here is a combined line-up of the two teams before tonight’s match:

#1 Goalkeeper: Joe Hart

Joe Hart wins this contest on a no-contest basis with Wojciech Szczsny having dropped in favour of David Ospina recently. The Pole was dropped after an error-filled performance against Southampton, when he was to blame for both the goals conceded by Arsenal. That and the post-game dressing room incident, when he was reportedly caught smoking in the showers, has seen Wenger demote him to the bench, with Ospina taking his spot.

Joe Hart had gone through a slump of his own last season, resulting in the England international being dropped for then Manchester City number two Costel Pantilimon. Hart however has come back very strongly from that setback and looks to have returned to his best, as he has been a calm and reassuring presence in the City goal, making crucial saves whenever he has had to intervene.

#2 Left-back: Gael Clichy

The former Arsenal man left North London in search of trophies in 2011 and in three and a half years at City, seems to have achieved exactly that.

Two Premier Leagues and a League Cup trophy later, his decision has definitely been vindicated. Arsenal, in spite of Kieran Gibbs’ emergence, would still be looking at Clichy’s departure with some regret, as the Frenchman had effectively replaced Ashley Cole when he moved to Chelsea.

Following his move to City, he seems to have taken a step further forward, having established himself as a lynchpin in the team as they won the Premier League both in 2011-12 and 2013-14.

While the Frenchman is regularly rotated with Aleksander Kolarov, Clichy is certainly the guy whom Pellegrini turns to when he needs assurance at the position.

#3 Centre-back: Laurent Koscielny

The game features two of the best centre-backs currently on display in the Premier League. Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny can certainly lay claim to one of those positions and personally, it was a disappoint not to have seen his name in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year last season.

The Frenchman has gone on to become an indispensable part of the Arsenal backline. Without his presence, the Gunners’ win percentage slumps to just 33 percent, conceding 1.9 goals per game. Since August 2013, the Londoners have only managed three clean sheets when Koscielny hasn’t taken to the field.

With him in the side though, the story is completely different. They win 70 percent of their games, concede just 0.7 goals per game and their clean sheet against Stoke last week was their 20th with the Frenchman in the team.

#4 Centre-back: Vincent Kompany

In spite of the millions spent by Manchester City, the best piece of business done by the "noisy neighbours" cost them a paltry £6 million. By bringing Vincent Kompany from Hamburg in the summer of 2008, the Citizens unknowingly laid the foundation stone upon which all their recent successes have been built.

The Belgian international not only is one of the most imposing defenders around, he is also the leader of the pack for Pellegrini and brings a sense of calm to the proceedings for the defending champions. Kompany’s presence in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year in three of the last four years gives a sense of his pedigree. The City captain was also recognized as the best player in the Premier League for the season 2011-12.

#5 Right-back: Pablo Zabaleta

Last season would have seen arguably the two best right-backs up against each other in the fixture, but now both ply their trade for the same team. While Mathieu Debuchy was statistically one of the best at the position in the league last season for Newcastle, the Frenchman has had a lot of injury troubles this season, and hence this was a pretty easy choice.

Zabaleta has consistently been one of the best players on the field for Manchester City ever since his arrival from Espanyol in the summer of 2008. The Argentine not only displaced the once indispensable Micah Richards, but carved out his own mark not only in the Manchester City line-up, but also the league.

The Argentine will however have his work cut out today with him set to duel against fellow South American Alexis Sanchez.

#6 Defensive midfield: Fernandinho

Fernandinho hasn’t had quite the influence that he had on proceedings last season, but he is still a vital cog in Manuel Pellegrini’s machinery as the Chilean seeks to become the first manager after Sir Alex to have won two Premier League titles on the trot.

Even after the arrival of fellow Brazil international Fernando in the summer, the former Shakhtar Donetsk man is the one that Pellegrini looks at to do the dirty work in midfield. It’s the work rate of the midfielder, that has allowed the City manager to play two up front without running the risk of getting overrun in the midfield.

The blue-collared Brazillian will again be entrusted with the job of throttling any danger that Arsenal might be able to build from the mid-field tonight.

#7 Centre midfield: Santi Cazorla

While Arsenal have failed to really light up the season so far, their performances have seen hang around the Champions League places perennially. While the Gunners have been hampered by injuries to vital members of their squad throughout, the performances of Santi Cazorla of late have been very encouraging.

With the lack of personnel available to Arsene Wenger, Cazorla was again entrusted with the responsibility of acting as the rudder to the Arsenal ship. The Spanish international has been a calming influence in the middle of the park for the Londoners and seems to have found his creative mojo back after having had a run of games at his favourite position.

4 goals and 3 assists, to go with 2.4 key passes per game in 17 starts lay testament to the fact that the diminutive Spaniard thrives when he is playing in the centre of the park.

#8 Centre midfield: James Milner

James Milner has never been the one to hog the limelight, but he can always put in a shift whenever his team needs him. After starting off as a prodigy on the wings for Leeds United, he made the move to Newcastle, where his talents developed further, before Aston Villa came calling. Consistent performances for them saw him earn a move to Manchester City.

The England international has played all over the pitch for the reigning Champions of the Premier League, but his most consistent performances this season have been while he was deployed on the flanks. Although it seemed that his career at City was done, he has come back with renewed focus this season and has been one of Pellegrini’s most trusted players.

Milner has transformed himself into one of the most consistent midfielders across the league with a work rate that is appreciated by all at the Etihad. He has been good when deployed in centre midfield, played as a makeshift striker when the strike-force was beset with injury problems, and embodies the consistency with which the Citizens have performed in the league for the last three years. He, definitely, is City’s Mr. Reliable.

#9 Left-wing: David Silva

After having taken a step backwards last season, David Silva seems to have come back with a bang this season, helping Manchester City catch up with league leaders Chelsea after having fallen eight points behind at one stage.

Having fallen short of strikers recently, the pint-sized Spaniard took it upon himself to deliver the goods for the Sky Blues. The quick feet of Silva danced their way to four goals in three games during the festive period to bring the defending Champions level on points with Chelsea. He again looks like going back to his 2011/12 best, when he propelled the Eastland side to their first ever Premier League title.

#10 Right-wing: Alexis Sanchez

“Wow!” That’s the one word I would use to sum up Alexis Sanchez’s time as a Gunner. He came into the season with a reputation to not only build upon but also resurrect. Sanchez’s time at Barcelona, whilst not being a failure by any means, never quite propelled him up to the level that the South America would have liked.

With Lionel Messi around, the Chilean’s performance, whilst gathering praise, were always seemed to have been a peripheral cause of the Catalan’s successes. At the Etihad, he has been thrusted into the role of the main man and by the looks of things, he is enjoying it and then some more.

He has arguably been the best performer in the league this season, with 12 goals and 7 assists to his name already. If Arsenal are to get anything from this game, Sanchez needs to be at his mercurial best again.

#11 Forward: Sergio Aguero

The first name that pops up in my mind while thinking about the combined XI, appears at last. If there are any cynics thinking of reasons not to include Mr. Aguero in the line-up, I would sincerely like to meet you.

The South American forward appears in the uppermost percentile of players playing in the league right now and when it comes to forwards, I certainly don’t think anyone even comes close to matching his pedigree right now with the departure of a certain Luis Suarez in the off-season.

The only thing holding him from getting a mention alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is probably a full season, with his frequent injury problems dragging him to thetreatment room ever so often.

Aguero is back though and even if its for a few minutes, it’s never good news for the opposition defence. Good luck Arsenal.