Liverpool and Manchester City will lock horns at Wembley on Sunday afternoon with the Community Shield on offer.
City landed three domestic trophies during the 2018-19 campaign, following up on their League Cup success by winning the Premier League title and FA Cup.
Liverpool ran the Citizens incredibly close during what was a brilliant race for the title, but the season did end on a hugely positive note for Jurgen Klopp's side as they beat Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final.
Both of these teams will certainly be looking to challenge for the major trophies once again. Neither will view the Community Shield as a priority, but the chance to secure some early silverware should make for a competitive game in London.
There will once again be some of the best players the Premier League has to offer on display. With that in mind, Sports Mole has selected the best XI from both squads, using only players available for the clash.
Two of the best goalkeepers in world football, let alone the Premier League, will be on display this weekend in the shape of Alisson Becker and Ederson. The former enjoyed an excellent first season in the Premier League, keeping 21 clean sheets in 38 appearances. Ederson managed 20 clean sheets of his own last term, but Alisson was also outstanding for Brazil at the Copa America, and the 26-year-old just about gets the nod ahead of his international teammate.
In truth, the full-back areas are straightforward to pick. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson managed an incredible 29 assists between them last season, with the pair starring for Liverpool. Kyle Walker and Oleksandr Zinchenko are expected to start in the full-back areas for the Citizens this weekend, but the duo are just not in the same class.
Virgil van Dijk absolutely sails into the XI when considering that the Netherlands international has a strong argument to currently be the best centre-back in world football. City's Aymeric Laporte takes the other spot, meanwhile, with the 27-year-old starring for Guardiola's side last season. Laporte only missed three of City's 38 league games last term, which is an indication of his importance to the champions.
It is difficult to pick the midfield, but a 4-3-3 formation means that some players will have to play out of position. Kevin De Bruyne struggled with injuries last season, but on form he is arguably the best of his kind in world football. David Silva, meanwhile, also makes the XI as the Spaniard still has the ability to unlock any defence in world football despite his advancing years. The third City player in midfield is Bernardo Silva, despite the fact that the Portugal international has played a lot of football out wide. It is impossible to leave the 24-year-old out after a brilliant 2018-19 season saw him score 13 times and provide 14 more.
The fact that Sadio Mane will not be available following his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations is helpful when it comes to picking the front three. Mane would have been a certainty if his spot this weekend was confirmed, but that is not the case so he has been left out of the XI.
Raheem Sterling scored 25 times and contributed 18 assists for City last season, with the 24-year-old taking his game up another few levels. The attacker is a certainty in this XI, while he is joined by City teammate Sergio Aguero, who is available following his involvement in the Copa America. The 31-year-old scored 32 times in 46 appearances for Guardiola's side during a brilliant 2018-19 campaign.
There were plenty of other options for the final spot, including Roberto Firmino and Leroy Sane. The latter, though, is being strongly linked with a move to Bayern Munich, meaning that he could miss out on a place in the squad this weekend. In truth, it is not difficult to include Mohamed Salah, who scored 27 times for the Reds last term. The Egypt international was not quite at the same level as the 2017-18 season but still played a key role in the team's success. The 27-year-old completes what would be a formidable side.
