Playing for 90
Fansided

Liverpool v Manchester United: Combined XI

By David Gate

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal with his team mates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on September 30, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal with his team mates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on September 30, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 11
Next
Bailly
Eric Bailly of Manchester United fouls Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford (Photo by Stu Forster of Getty Images) /

Center Back: Eric Bailly

This was an easy one. Largely because Manchester United and Liverpool can only pull together one and a half good center backs between them. The Ivorian joined the Old Trafford side last summer and had a good season despite some injuries.

However this season he has been outstanding. United have only conceded 2 goals in the league this year. They have kept 6 clean sheets in their 7 Premier League games. His defensive strength and smartness is a huge part of why Manchester United have begun this season on fire.

Jose Mourinho has paired his with Phil Jones to great success but I doubt if that is the Portuguese manager’s long-term plan. You get the impression he may not trust Jones in the big games against dangerous forward lines like Liverpool’s.

The plan wast to play Victor Lindelof next to Bailly but the Swede has had a slow start to his Old Trafford career. He was badly exposed by Real Madrid in the European Super Cup final and has only featured in the Champions League so far this season. The £30 million price tag means that United are hoping he can settle in soon and form the central pairing Mourinho drew up before the season started.

Home/Manchester United