Liverpool v Manchester United: Combined XI

Liverpool v Manchester United is one of the biggest games on the Premier League calendar. We have put together a combined starting XI of the two rivals.

They are the two biggest clubs in English football history. The most successful and most popular. Liverpool and Manchester United face up this week in a Premier League showdown. Liverpool are struggling after having only one win in the last seven games. Manchester United, on the other hand, are flying. They have not lost a game this season and have won all but a draw with Stoke.

But as the cliché goes, the form book goes out of the window on games like this. The bookies agree, remarkably making Liverpool narrow favorites to win the tie.

There is much debate (ie. raging argument) between the two fanbases over who has the better players. We have put together a combined XI to settle the discussion. A few notes before we begin. We have settled on a 4-3-3 formation that best suit both teams. Liverpool play this way every game and it is often used by Jose Mourinho too.

We are also only picking players who are available for this match. That means Paul Pogba and Sadio Mane are not in consideration even though both would certainly make the XI. Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne would also be in contention.

Here goes… Our combined Liverpool and Manchester United XI:

Goalkeeper: David de Gea

Do I need to explain this? No I don’t. Simon Mignolet is not as bad as many make out. When it comes to penalties his one of the all time best. But that is where we can stop considering the Belgian for this combined eleven.

David de Gea is perhaps the best goalkeeper in the world. Manuel Neuer has a case. Courtois used to but has fallen behind. Jan Oblak is the latest pretender. Yet it is the Spaniard who rules the goalkeeping roost.

It is incredible that United have kept him out of Real Madrid’s clutches for so long. He is as talented and dependable as you could ever want a keeper to be. He has kept United from total humiliation (rather than just regular old embarrassment) the last few years. A more than worthy entry into this list.

Right Back: Antonio Valencia

This was one of the toughest decisions. There are three player in contention. Two young English stars for Liverpool and the old man Antonio Valencia. Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold have both performed admirably for the Reds this season in the absence of Nathaniel Clyne.

Gomez has been the utility defender for Liverpool, playing games at right back, center back and left back in his time at the club. He is most naturally a center back and looks like one when he plays full back albeit without major weakness or flaw.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is also pretty new to the position but has taken it like a duck to proverbial water. His performances have been a highlight is a disappointing start to the season for Kopites. He crowned his debut Champions League performance with a stunning goal from a free kick.

Antonio Valencia knows all about adopting the right back role. He has moved into defense over the last three seasons and been one of their most consistent players. There have been signs this year that the 32-year-old is starting to wane. Yet he still represents a better option than either of the Liverpool youngsters. Give it a year and we’ll see though!

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.

Center Back: Joel Matip

When I said the clubs have one and a half good defenders between them, this is the half. Joel Matip has not done much this season to earn a place in this XI. But then neither has anyone else.

The Cameroonian international has been the most consistent of the Liverpool center backs. Yet his form has dipped from his debut season with the club. He looked a sensational bargaining in 2016/17 after arriving from Schalke on a free transfer.

This year has been harder with his center back partners Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan struggling badly. He has also been looking after Alexander-Arnold and Gomez at right back. Clowns to the left of him, youngsters to the right.

His talent and experience make him worthy of a spot in this combined eleven. Phil Jones has had a good year to date but he has not shown anything to believe that United actually want him there in the long-term.

A partnership of Eric Bailly and Joel Matip is actually a much better twosome than either team can field right now. They would combine well with strength, experience and technique to be a very dependable heart to this defense.

Left Back: Alberto Moreno

I can barely believe I am picking Alberto Moreno but here we are. The often lampooned Spaniard has had his best spell in a Liverpool shirt this season and deserves his place on the list. He has largely eradicated the crucial errors that marred his earlier times as the Reds’ left back. After losing his place to James Milner last season he has convinced Jürgen Klopp that he is trustworthy again.

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One of the best things about his game at present is how well he links up with Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho on Liverpool’s left hand side. Moreno’s attacking capability has always been the strongest part of his game and playing alongside the Ballon d’Or nominees is has had a hugely positive effect on his form.

The competition for this place is largely absent. Andrew Robertson is an exciting prospect but hasn’t had the minutes yet to displace Moreno. For United, left back is their weakest position in the squad. The position rotates between Danny Blind, Matteo Darmian and Ashley Young. None of them are a specialist to position and have all been serviceable without ever impressing.

Liverpool were buying Moreno at the same time Manchester United were breaking records to sign Luke Shaw. Who would have thought it would be Moreno that is keeping down his place while Shaw continues his fade into irrelevance?

Defensive Midfield: Nemanja Matic

Liverpool don’t even have a defensive midfielder so this was not a hard decision. Though take nothing away from Nemanja Matic who has been outstanding in his first season at Old Trafford.

It was a huge shock that Chelsea would let Matic go so soon after his excellent performances helped lead them to the Premier League  title last season. His partnership with N’golo Kante was crucial in Antonio Conte’s side winning the league.

At 29-years-old many questioned the wisdom of spending £40 million on a defensive midfielder. The justification for the decision has been all over the pitch for all to see this year. The Serbian has anchored the Manchester United midfield in a way they have not seen for years.

It has been crucial to shore up a defense prone to individual errors. Yet is has also had the effect of helping the attack. Star man Paul Pogba was playing with the kind of form that led to Manchester United breaking the world transfer record for his services. This was in no small part to the fact he doesn’t need to worry so much about defensive responsibilities.

The Liverpool midfield is in desperate need of someone with his capabilities. They have a number of players who can recycle possession and contribute offensively. Yet they seriously lack someone who can lock down the center of the park.

Center Midfield: Emre Can

Make no mistake; Paul Pogba would have this spot. But he is not fit so it has to go to someone and Emre Can is the one who deserves it most. There is very little to choose between the Liverpool midfield three.

Jordan Henderson is a solid option who keeps the ball moving but cannot offer sufficient defensive quality. Under Jürgen Klopp’s system he cannot get forward as much as he did under Brendan Rodgers and it has affected his form. Only 3 of his 24 Liverpool goals have come during the German’s tenure. The burden of the Liverpool captaincy has also taken the toll on his performances.

Gini Wijnaldum is a fan favorite but his bi-polar performances are wearing thin. He has been a high-level, consistent performer at Anfield. Yet away from home he has been absent. Not bad or a liability, just anonymous.

The only United player who has had the minutes to be considered for this spot is Marouane Fellaini. He is having a good season but retains the look of a flat track bully. He can dominate against Southampton and Crystal Palace but looks out of his depth against the top six.

Emre Can gets the spot due to his broad range of talents and steady to progress under Klopp. He is yet to sign a new contract as he prepares to seal his place in Germany’s World Cup squad.

Center Midfield: Philippe Coutinho

You would have to be a very bias Manchester United fan to believe that the Ballon d’Or nominee doesn’t deserve his spot in this eleven. He is a world-class player and could have been the second most expensive player of all time if Liverpool had accepted the overtures from Barcelona for the Brazilian.

After claiming injury and making himself unavailable for selection before the transfer window closed, there was real concern whether or not Klopp could integrate him back into the side. It turns out that fantastic players stay fantastic players even when they hand in a transfer request.

The Brazilian has come back into the Liverpool side and been instrumental for the Reds. He has three goals and an assist in his four starts this season. His goals have all been special. A flawless free kick against Leicester; a wonderful move against Spartak Moscow and a trademark stunner against Newcastle.

A midfield trio of Matic, Pogba and Coutinho would be a sensational balance of skills and attributes. United will be hoping that they can keep the Brazilian under wraps this weekend.

Right Forward: Mohamed Salah

He was labelled a Chelsea reject by many fans as Liverpool broke their transfer record to sign the Egyptian winger. Those accusations look pretty stupid now. Salah has been one of the best purchases of the summer. He has settled in at Anfield with 5 goals and 1 assist already.

His ability on the counter attack is frightening with the amount of pace and directness he brings to the side. While he has been slightly wasteful in front of goal, he doesn’t lack confidence. The misses don’t bother him and he often scores with his next opportunity.

He is coming off a spectacular performance for his country as he led Egypt into the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. He scored a wonderful goal on the break before finishing the pressure-filled penalty in stoppage time to seal the win.

Manchester United have been playing with either Juan Mata or Marcus Rashford as the right-sided attacker. Both have had good seasons but with going in-and-out of the side they have yet to find the rhythm to reach the peak of their talents. Salah wins this spot for his impact and consistency.

Center Forward: Romelu Lukaku

Is it possible to have a better start then Romelu Lukaku? The Old Trafford side brought him in from Everton in the summer for £90 million with one aim; to score goals. Mission accomplished. He has bagged 10 goals in his first 9 games for the club. He has scored in all but one of those games.

The Belgian has single-handedly turned United from one of the most wasteful and timid attacks in the league to one of its most potent this year. He must be relishing the chance to face Liverpool’s struggling center backs on Saturday.

Although Firmino started the season in a similarly prolific fashion that has cooled off dramatically in the last month. Three goals and two assists early was another sign of the Brazilians’s development under Jurgen Klopp. He has gone from being a workaholic winger to an effective false 9 in this system. In two stellar performances against Arsenal and Hoffenheim he ran the fluid Liverpool attack like a maestro.

However since he missed a penalty against Sevilla in the Champions League his confidence has vanished. That miss cost Liverpool two pints as they conceded late on to the Spanish opposition. In the 5 games since he has struggled to hit the target or impact the game. This culminated in him losing his place against Newcastle last time out.

There is no doubt who the best center forward is in this combined XI.

Left Forward: Henrikh Mkhitaryan

If Sadio Mane had been fit then there would have been a legitimate three-way decision to make. Mane is perhaps the best player in the Liverpool squad and has been irresistible. Liverpool are going to struggle to replace him for these six games. He was nominated this week for the Ballon d’Or alongside teammate Coutinho and United’s David de Gea.

For United this spot is normally held by Anthony Martial who is having a mini-renaissance to his Old Trafford career. After finally accepting he won’t be playing as a center forward anytime soon he has done of good job of buying into the role Mourinho has for him.

He has 5 goals and 4 assists this season. That alone should be enough to include him in the is eleven. The only hesitation I had is that many of those goals have come later in blowouts. Games where United are leading late and poorer teams open up to try to get a goal back.

Ultimately I have been more impressed with the form of Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The Armenian has racked up 5 assists and two goals and has been instrumental in all of United’s creative attacking this year.

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He has that ability to make the game look slow. Everything looks easy for him and he always seems to have all the time in the world. Perhaps that’s due to the weak level of opposition has faced so far but you can only beat who is in front of you and Mkhitaryan has dominated every team he has faced.