SM
Derby vs. Portsmouth: 5 hrs 46 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
LL
Premier League | Gameweek 13
Dec 1, 2024 at 4pm UK
Anfield
MC

Liverpool
2 - 0
Man City

Gakpo (12'), Salah (78' pen.)
Gravenberch (36')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Nunes (24'), Foden (32'), Akanji (45+1')

Liverpool vs. Man City: Combined XI ahead of Premier League top-of-the-table battle

:Headline: Liverpool vs. Man City: Combined XI ahead of Premier League top-of-the-table battle:
Ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash between Liverpool and Manchester City, Sports Mole picks a combined XI from both squads.
Sports Mole

A Premier League top-of-the-table clash that does not have a genuine top-of-the-table-clash feel to it takes place at Anfield on Sunday afternoon, as Liverpool and Manchester City pit their wits against one another in the weekend's headline act.

Eight points separate the runaway leaders and the wounded champions in the rankings with 12 games gone, and victory for Arne Slot's side would take them 11 clear of Pep Guardiola's side, dealing the Citizens their most devastating title blow yet.

Sunday's hosts are seeking a seventh straight win in all competitions when the Citizens arrive on Merseyside, having edged out Southampton 3-2 last weekend before a 2-0 Champions League beating of Real Madrid on Wednesday evening.

In stark contrast, City endeavour to snap a six-game winless sequence following a spate of uncharacteristic catastrophes, most recently blowing a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League in midweek.

As debate rages over which players get into their opponents' starting XI, Sports Mole picks a star-studded combined lineup from both squads, using only players who are expected to be available for the contest.


The increasingly injury-plagued Alisson Becker will be helplessly watching on from the sidelines again this week, but his perennial and always capable lieutenant Caoimhin Kelleher hit a new zenith in midweek by saving a Kylian Mbappe penalty. Both he and Ederson only have two clean sheets to their name in the Premier League season, but while Kelleher is still Liverpool's number two goalkeeper, City's more esteemed number one takes his place in between our sticks.

Ederson is unsurprisingly protected by the ever-intimidating Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk, reportedly about to commit himself to a new contract at Anfield, and only three players in the Premier League have won more aerial duels than his 40 this season. However, as his centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate will miss Sunday's blockbuster through injury, Ruben Dias - who returned from a calf problem as an unused substitute against Feyenoord - partners Van Dijk for what would hypothetically be the first time; interestingly, the dominant Dutchman and Portuguese powerhouse have never been named in the same PFA Team of the Year or FIFPRO World XI.

As City are still lacking a true left-back, and Josko Gvardiol has endured a couple of horror shows of late, Andy Robertson bombs down that flank for us. The Scotsman has also shown signs of being past his best this season, though, and one wonders whether Kostas Tsimikas would be starting on Sunday had he not hurt his ankle. Speaking of full-backs seemingly past their prime, 34-year-old Kyle Walker has seen his fearsome speed and 1v1 ability elude him this season, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has improved on that front significantly, tackling the third-most dribblers in the Premier League (20) this season. The Englishman's attacking numbers are not in the sensational bracket, but three expected assists is still the fourth-most in the division, and he pips Walker to our right-back spot - a likely precursor to future Three Lions selections too.

Of course, Rodri would have been selection number one had he not joined the ever-growing list of ACL victims earlier this season, so Liverpool's resurrected enforcer Ryan Gravenberch sits in the holding midfield role for us. Linked with a shock move to Turkey not all that long ago, the former Bayern Munich protege has been dominating engine rooms all season long, making the joint-most interceptions (23) and posting the second-highest aerial duel win rate (84.6%) in the Premier League season.

Leaving out Gravenberch's double pivot partner Alexis Mac Allister was harsh on the Argentine, but the perpetually versatile Bernardo Silva still warrants a place in the XI; the Portuguese is yet to score this Premier League season, but he ranks in the top 10 for key passes (27) and progressive carries (49) in the competition. Despite only playing six Premier League games so far this season, Kevin De Bruyne has registered more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than any other player in the division - an unrivalled 7.62. With neither Dominik Szoboszlai nor Curtis Jones making themselves indispensable options for Slot in recent weeks, City's brilliant Belgian acts as our creative focal point.

While Phil Foden struggles to replicate his PFA Player of the Year-worthy form, Luis Diaz is another Liverpool player to have been given a new lease of life under Slot, banking nine goals in 18 games this term and also chipping in with three Premier League assists. On the opposite side of the attacking triumvirate lies the player with the most combined goals and assists in the 2024-25 Premier League season - 16, 10 of his own and six assists. Mohamed Salah may have hit the headlines for the reasons other than his wing wizardry in the past week - from bombshell contract comments to a UCL penalty miss - but expect the 32-year-old to run City's left-back, whoever that may be, completely ragged on Sunday as he awaits his desired renewal offer.

Over the past seven Premier League gameweeks, Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez have registered an identical number of goal contributions - a meagre two. However, while City's Norwegian number nine has seen his powers wane - much to the delight of Arsenal fans after his "stay humble" comment to Mikel Arteta - he still leads the Golden Boot race with 12 strikes and was never in danger of not making the combined XI cut.


Read more on Liverpool vs Manchester City


body check tags ::

amp_article__559413 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-11-30 22:20:33:
html db last update - 2024-11-30 22:20:33 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Six Reds, five Blancos: Sports Mole's Liverpool vs. Real Madrid Combined XI
Euro 2024 run it back: England learn World Cup qualifying opponents!
Hojlund rescues Onana as Man United fight back to beat Viktoria Plzen
Manchester City planning Josko Gvardiol move?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Man City vs. Man Utd - prediction, team news, lineups

1

PM

Several fitness doubts: Chelsea injury, suspension list vs. Brentford

2

SF

Shaw, Evans updates: Man United injury, suspension news vs. Man City

NEW

3

SE

Four-goal thriller in Manchester derby? Premier League GW16 predictions

NEW

4

FT

Chelsea vs. Brentford: Head-to-head record and past meetings

5

CV

Preview: Nacional vs. Moreirense - prediction, team news, lineups

6

PN

Preview: Lecce vs. Monza - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PL

Preview: Mainz vs. Bayern - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PM

Friday's Turkish Super Lig predictions including Kasimpasa vs. Eyupspor

9

FT

Preview: Wolves vs. Ipswich - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PW


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .