Combined XI: Chelsea v Liverpool.

 Combined XI Chelsea v Liverpool.

This team will include, at the time of writing, all confirmed players of both teams and not the players rumored to be going to either squad.

4-3-3

GK: I think the answer here is pretty obvious with Kepa Arrizabalaga struggling to live up to his record keeper fee of 72 million pounds Alisson, who was the record keeper for just a week, staked his claim as one of the world’s best since signing for the Merseyside club.

RB: Even though both right backs are excellent and most likely going to be the core right backs for the foreseeable future in the national team, at this moment I’d go for Trent Alexander Arnold. While I think Reece James is probably overall the more complete of the two Trent’s offensive output is among the world’s best in any position and can’t be ignored.

CB: Arguably one of the best center halves in the world Virgil Van Dijk easily takes this spot no explanation needed.

CB: In the other spot I’ve gone for the experience of Thiago Silva. Even at 36 he is still one of the top defenders in world football and has been so for the last decade. He’s a freakish athlete, proven by captaining PSG to the champion’s league final and I think he would compliment Van Dijk terrifically.

LB: The best and most complete left back in the league Andy Robertson easily takes this spot. Not only is he highly effective going forward he also is quite adept and aggressive defensively. 

CM: At the defensive pivot spot in midfield I think Fabinho is the best option as one of the better midfield destroyers in the league. He is extremely physical, good at winning possession, can play decent passes across the field and chip in with the odd goal.

CM: Similarly as Fabinho, N’golo Kante one of the world’s best midfielders when fit excels in a midfield pivot. He is even better at winning possession than Fabinho and boasts a similar passing range. Recently, he has added goals to his game and loves pressing higher up the pitch than Fabinho, where he can win the ball early, play passes to his teammates in better positions or take on a shot himself.

AM: Even though they are the best team in the premier league Liverpool doesn’t really boast a lot of creativity or goals from midfield for this reason I’ve gone with the talent and production of Kai Havertz. Though he is not premier league proven as some people would argue his talent in the middle of the park is obvious as his last two seasons in the Bundesliga put him as one the best young talents in world football with a whopping 39 goal contributions over that period. Despite struggling on the opening matchday there is no reason to believe the 21 year old wouldn’t replicate the form that made clubs like Bayern and Real Madrid covet his signature, especially as he is tutored by one the best ever goal contributing midfielders in Frank Lampard. 

Because I am taking Liverpool’s entire front 3 for this I’ve decided to write it as one paragraph. Not only are the proven in England they have been the best and most fluid front 3 in all of Europe for the last 2 years at least. An argument could be made for Timo Werner to replace Firmino, and rightly so, as the German established himself as a top striker by scoring 28 goals last year in Germany but Firmino’s fluidity and understanding with Salah and Mane actually make them better so I decided to stick with him in between those two.