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We're only a little over a quarter into the Premier League season, but already Sunday's clash at the Etihad Stadium between Manchester City and Liverpool seems colossal.
The Premier League champions head into the clash with their fortunes on the up after an impressive Champions League victory over Real Madrid while City, spearheaded by Erling Haaland, have lost just one in their last 12.
Both sides are hot on the heels of Arsenal and boasting a host of talent. Alexander Isak, Mo Salah and Florian Wirtz in the Merseyside camp and the likes of Haaland, Rodri and Bernardo Silva for the Mancunians.
But who makes a combined XI between the two clubs? Here, Daily Mail Sport takes a look.
Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola go head-to-head again this weekend at the Etihad Stadium
Erling Haaland's in red hot form this season and could spearhead a title charge for City
Meanwhile Mo Salah has had his most difficult start to a Premier League season yet, but will be hoping to find his shooting boots on Sunday
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
The Italian goalkeeper and holder of the Yashin Trophy, who won five trophies with PSG last season, has certainly instilled confidence into City’s defence.
Guardiola started the season with new signing James Trafford seeming to be the new No 1 after Ederson but his reign was short lived as the Cityzens struck a £30m deal for Donnarumma. Since then, his presence and experience in goal has helped City to three clean sheets in their first seven games in the Premier League.
He is still only 26 years of age, so will be a key part of Man City’s spine for the coming years. He has a save percentage of 76 per cent this season, only conceding seven goals.
Right-back: Conor Bradley
Being Trent Alexander Arnold’s successor at Liverpool was always going to be tough task for Conor Bradley, but this season he’s shown he can rise to it. Bradley, like Liverpool’s entire defence, has struggled at times this season but it’s looking like he’s picking up his form at the perfect time for a duel with the in form Jeremy Doku.
After a good performance and clean sheet against Aston Villa, Bradley's man of the match outing against Real Madrid saw him take his game to new heights. He made the most recoveries (seven), 100% tackle success rate (3/3), most passes into the final third (10) and completely nullified one of the best wingers in the world, Vinicius Junior.
His performance against Madrid more than warrants place in this combined XI.
Centre-back: Ruben Dias
Ruben Dias looks back to his best this season and this is represented in his statistics.
He joins Haaland as the only two City players with over 1000 minutes this season, winning the most duels and having an 87 per cent tackle success rate and a 94 per cent pass accuracy.
It is clear that Pep is aiming to recreate Dias’s connection with Stones in his new CB partner Joskvo Gvardiol and with the addition of Gianluigi Donnarumma, City’s defence looks to have gained the consistency it once lost.
Dias has started 9 of the 10 Premier League matches with an average match rating of 7.13.
Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has led by example once again this season - little surprise there.
Seasons have come and gone, but his status in the game has only grown. Although Liverpool have struggled this season, he has maintained his dominant performances, boasting 87 per cent aerial duels won and having an average rating of 7.29.
The Reds recent game against Aston Villa saw a trademark performance from their captain who recorded a 94 per cent passing accuracy, 100 per cent aerial duels won, four clearances, four recoveries and a clean sheet.
Left-back: Nico O’Reilly
Nico O’Reilly is the definition of taking your chances as a young player. In the absence of Rayan Ait Nouri, he had to step up, and that's exactly what he's done.
Since getting into the team he has owned the left-back spot for City and proven to be one of the best and most consistent left-backs in Europe. He is the highest rated U-21 player in the Premier League this season (6.95) and City haven’t lost a single league game when he has started. O’Reilly isn’t even a natural left-back but ranks 2nd in the league for left-back stats this season. Only Marc Cucurella of Chelsea tops him.
At only 20 years of age the versatile left-back will only continue to improve and heads into Sunday in great form after a man of the match worthy performance against Bournemouth.
Central midfield: Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch has arguably been Liverpool’s best player this season having continued his good form from last term.
Compared to the other midfielders he is right at the top with the likes of Caicedo and Rice and this year he seems even more complete with his first touch, skill, vision, and pace. He has even added a high level of finishing to his game.
The Dutchman's been one of Liverpool’s most consistent performers averaging a rating of 7.61 and having four goal involvements in the 8 league games he’s started, which has earnt him the second highest xG in the league this season (+2.59).
Central midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai
Along with Gravenberch, Szoboszlai has a strong claim to being Liverpool’s most important player this season.
With four attacking returns in his last four games in all competitions and an assist against Real Madrid this week, he has proven to be pivotal to Arne Slot’s system. In his last five games he has had match ratings of 8.1, 7.9, 8.4, 9.1, 7.5..
For Liverpool this season, the Hungarian has the most assists (four), progressive carries (44), progressive passes (104), long passes completed (111), tackles won (21), tackles, interceptions (36) and recoveries (85). He is definitely one of the first names on the team sheet for Slot and nailed on in the combined XI.
Left-wing: Jeremy Doku
Jeremy Doku has taken his game to a whole new level. Entering his 3rd season at City, he has often struggled with inconsistencies and a lack of trust from Pep Guardiola, however this season that’s changed.
Doku is the only player in the Premier League to have completed 20+ dribbles and 20+ chances created and averages the most key passes per 90 mins (3.0) of any player this campaign (400+ mins).
His impressive form was evident in City’s recent game against Bournemouth, playing more key passes (four) and completing more dribbles (three) than any other player in the first half.
When Doku has been in full flow, he’s been unstoppable and will look to take his form into the game against a Liverpool right hand side that has struggled all season.
Right-wing: Mohamed Salah
After a historic 2024-25 campaign, Mo Salah was always going to struggle to keep up the same level.
With the attacking arrivals of Ekitike, Isak and Wirtz, Salah’s game and output has definitely slowed down, but class is permanent. He still leads the Premier League in big chances created (five) and has six goal involvements in his 10 Premier League games. It's possibly his worst start to a season ever for the Egyptian, but that return would represent a good start for every other winger in the league.
Salah still has the most goals and assists for Liverpool this season (five goals, four assists). He normally always performs in big games and especially likes games against Sunday’s opposition. Salah has scored or assisted in each of his last 9 Premier League starts against Pep Guardioa's side (7 goals, 5 assists).
Striker: Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has reached another level this season and is beginning to look like the greatest striker English football has ever seen.
It's becoming a almost guarantee that he will score in every game he plays. He has 13 goals in 10 Premier League appearances this season and four goals in three Champions League games. He has scored 65 per cent of Man City’s goals in the league and is netting more frequently than half of the top-flight's clubs, let alone players.
The Norwegian continues to break every record possible and is beginning be compared to the great Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Though perhaps such comparisons are currently a tad premature, the Norwegian isn't a million miles away.
He couldn’t be in better form heading into a duel against Liverpool and Virgil Van Dijk, one of the only teams he doesn’t have previous success against. He's only scored once in his four meetings with the Reds, but with how he’s playing at the moment, you would expect this to change on Sunday.
Striker: Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike’s start to his Liverpool career is contributing to Arne Slot’s selection headache.
After breaking the British transfer record for Isak, it is Ekitike who looks to be the leading No 9 going forward.
The Frenchman has four goal involvements seven games, has started in the Premier League this season and is becoming a key part of the Reds' frontline.
His constant runs create space for his teammates and his link up play has contributed to Liverpool’s attack. Unlike Isak, he's just getting started in the Premier League and is already looking the real deal. His strong start to the season gives him the nod in the combined XI ahead of Foden and Wirtz.
