Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Picking a Best XI on Form This Year
Liverpool travel to London to face Arsenal this Saturday, looking for what would be only their second victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Their last and only win over Arsene Wenger's side at their new home was in August 2011. Last season, Brendan Rodgers' side lost there twice—2-0 in the league and 2-1 in the FA Cup.
Indeed, Rodgers has only beat Wenger's side once as Liverpool boss—that being the 5-1 demolition at Anfield last season.
After stuttering early season form, both sides now crave a top-four finish and FA Cup success—something that Arsenal are currently nicely placed for in both instances. The Gunners are six points clear of Liverpool and face Reading in their FA Cup semi-final.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are still to progress to the semi-final, facing Blackburn Rovers in their quarter-final replay four days after this fixture. Defeat in each of those games would effectively end their 2014/15 season.
Ahead of the match, we pick a combined XI based only on form this season.
We've used WhoScored.com player rankings to help determine decisions where it's been a close call on certain positions.
We're lining up in Wenger's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.
GK: Simon Mignolet
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You wouldn't have expected this back in December when these two sides last met, but Simon Mignolet has been a man reborn since returning to the Liverpool side on Boxing Day.
The Belgian stopper is now favourite even to win the Premier League's golden glove for most clean sheets, following Southampton's Fraser Forster suffering an injury that will keep him out for the rest of the campaign.
For Arsenal, Wojciech Szczesny's form has been so bad he's been dropped for David Ospina since the turn of the year.
RB: Calum Chambers
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Liverpool haven't used orthodox full backs since their change in system in mid-December, and even if so, their right-back options are pretty uninspiring; Glen Johnson and Javier Manquillo have been used there, while Jon Flanagan has been sidelined all season.
Arsenal, too, have had their right-back issues, with Frenchman Mathieu Debuchy undergoing surgery twice since his move south from Newcastle United in the summer.
That means young Calum Chambers is a fairly easy selection in this theoretical XI. The former Southampton man has an impressive 7.7 season rating with WhoScored and is among the league's top 20 ranked defenders.
CB: Martin Skrtel
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Taking up the right-sided centre-back role is Liverpool stalwart Martin Skrtel.
The Slovakian has been a cornerstone of the Reds' newly improved defence. His suspension on Saturday will be a huge miss for Rodgers' side.
CB: Laurent Koscielny
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The left centre-back slot goes to Laurent Koscielny.
It is a close call between him and compatriot Mamadou Sakho—Sakho gets the nod at international level—but Koscielny has played more games and has a higher WhoScored rating (7.4 vs. 7.1) so gets the nod here.
LB: Kieran Gibbs
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Much like at right-back, Liverpool have struggled at left-back.
Rodgers even turned to Jose Enrique at times earlier in the season, such was his lack of faith in new signing Alberto Moreno. Moreno has since improved in a more advanced role, but his defensive ability is still under question—especially after being at fault for both of Manchester United's goals last time out.
That means it's an easy choice of Kieran Gibbs at left-back. The 25-year-old has finally made the position his own this season at Arsenal and is also becoming a regular for England.
CM: Jordan Henderson
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This is an easy choice and one that few can argue about. Liverpool's soon-to-be captain has been in impressive form this season, and Jordan Henderson's name is an easy one to put in this side.
The 24-year-old has been Liverpool's most consistent midfielder and has made more appearances than any other Reds player this campaign. He's also started contributing goals and assists to his game.
CM: Francis Coquelin
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A surprise choice perhaps, but Francis Coquelin has become a key figure in Wenger's side in 2015.
Having been loaned to Charlton Athletic earlier in the season, he returned to Arsenal in December and has forced his way into the side.
Perhaps Wenger has finally seen the importance of having a dynamic, combative holding midfielder, and Coquelin has provided that.
AM: Santi Carzorla
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Spaniard Santi Cazorla has enjoyed his best season for Arsenal since joining the club three years ago.
The diminutive playmaker has an impressive seven goals and assists in the Premier League this campaign.
A must in this XI given he has the highest rating of any Liverpool or Arsenal player this season, according to WhoScored (8.1).
AM: Philippe Coutinho
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Like Cazorla, Philippe Coutinho has similarly impressed. This duo could cause havoc for opposition defences, interchanging positions anywhere along the forward line between the defence and midfield of the opposing side.
The Brazilian's output isn't quite as impressive as Cazorla's, with four goals and four assists, but the 22-year-old is still developing and becoming a key performer in the Premier League.
AM: Raheem Sterling
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Of the four attacking players in this lineup, Raheem Sterling's place is the one most in question.
The 20-year-old has been somewhat restricted this season by playing in a host of different positions—yet he's still been one of Liverpool's key players.
Rodgers turned to Sterling as a centre-forward once Mario Balotelli was considered unable to implement a pressing game, while in recent weeks, he has been shunned out wide to wing-back in order to accommodate the returning Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana.
FWD: Alexis Sanchez
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We could have gone with Olivier Giroud up front, with Alexis Sanchez taking Sterling's place as one of the three attacking midfielders.
Giroud and Sanchez both have 13 league goals, but the Chilean has 19 overall, with the Frenchman on 17—hence Sanchez gets the nod up front.
It gives us an extremely dynamic, pacy and versatile front four, all capable of interchanging in play.
Giroud is the unlucky man in this attack, but he's not a bad option from the bench.
