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Chelsea – Liverpool combined XI

By David Cambridge

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Adam Lallana of Liverpool and Eden Hazard of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on September 16, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Adam Lallana of Liverpool and Eden Hazard of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on September 16, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 16: Adam Lallana of Liverpool and Eden Hazard of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on September 16, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 16: Adam Lallana of Liverpool and Eden Hazard of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on September 16, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images) /

Who would make a Liverpool – Chelsea combined XI?

Jurgen Klopp’s side have fallen 10 points behind the Premier League summit ahead of their clash with Chelsea next week.

The league leaders, meanwhile, head to Anfield as the odds-on title favourites, and with Diego Costa (for now) playing ball again, it’s an opportunity for Conte and co to take one of their challengers out of the picture indefinitely.

The last time these two sides were contesting England’s top spot, Liverpool were a brilliant attacking side undermined by defensive misgivings, and Chelsea a well-oiled tactical unit better than the some of its parts.

Both teams are under new management, but not much else has changed, and it’s Liverpool, once again, who desperately need all three points.

As well as two of the league’s heavyweight managers, this game pits against each other Liverpool’s fluid front line (minus Mane, who is with Senegal at the African Cup of Nations) and the water-tight Chelsea defence which has shipped just 15 league goals all season.

It should follow, then, that picking a combined XI of the two sides is a fairly straight forward task: Liverpool have out-scored all their rivals, while Chelsea have conceded fewer than any team in the country. All you need to do is stick Klopp’s offensive line-up on top of Conte’s back three.

In practice, it’s a little more complicated, but we’ve given it our best shot.

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