Picking a Combined Arsenal vs. Liverpool Premier League XI
Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium on Monday night, with both sides looking to gain an early advantage in their quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League. An even contest on paper, both squads boast strength in depth and true quality this campaign—but who would make it into a combined Gunners-Reds XI?
After two 1-0 victories so far in 2015/16, Brendan Rodgers will be hoping his Liverpool side can continue their 100 percent record, but the Gunners represent something of an unmovable object against the Reds in north London.
Liverpool have defeated Arsene Wenger's side just once since their move from Highbury to the Emirates, with last season's 4-1 loss still fresh in supporters' minds.
Irrespective of head-to-head form, however, the two sides look in fairly even shape as the third gameweek of the new season plays out.
With players considered subjectively by position based on form and overall quality, who makes it into our combined XI?
GK: Petr Cech
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Petr Cech hasn't enjoyed the best of starts since his summer move to Arsenal, but he comfortably eclipses Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper Simon Mignolet here.
Mignolet has kept two clean sheets so far in the league, to Cech's nil, but with the Belgian largely untested it would be unfair to say he has made an overriding impact; his shot-stopping ability ranks him as one of the best reflex goalkeepers in the Premier League, but his distribution pegs him as a limited option.
Cech remains a world-class talent, and his quality will shine through as the season progresses.
RB: Nathaniel Clyne
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The £12 million that Liverpool paid Southampton for Nathaniel Clyne this summer guarantees him as one of the signings of the season.
Rodgers' right-back position can be considered filled for close to a decade—if he's lucky—with Clyne representing one of the Premier League's finest defenders.
Possessing tenacity in the tackle, high concentration levels and great timing in aerial battles, Clyne is a key factor in Liverpool's clean-sheet success so far this term.
Arsenal's Hector Bellerin is a high-potential young talent who hit the opener in last season's 4-1 win over the Reds, with his attacking play—aided by his blistering pace—making him a devastating option on the right defensive flank. However, it can be argued that Clyne is also a match for Bellerin in the attacking sector.
The Spaniard may best his more experienced counterpart in the coming seasons, but Clyne is a truly top-level right-back.
CB: Laurent Koscielny
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Despite turning out as a left-sided centre-back for Arsenal, Laurent Koscielny is our choice to operate next to Clyne in this combined-XI defence—largely due to his experience in playing this role for the French national team.
Koscielny has proven himself to be one of the Premier League's most dependable centre-backs—able to pass, tackle, read the game and dominate in the air—and has already produced two top-class performances in the top flight this season.
With other options including the limited Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel, Per Mertesacker and the raw Gunners duo of Calum Chambers and Gabriel Paulista, Koscielny is an obvious choice to partner our next selection.
CB: Mamadou Sakho
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Mamadou Sakho has reportedly been offered a new long-term contract at Liverpool worth around £100,000 a week, according to Andy Hunter of the Guardian Despite the Frenchman's absence from Rodgers' starting lineup for the opening two games of the season, this serves to highlight his enduring quality.
Making Sakho one of the club's highest earners is a clear indication of his importance.
The 25-year-old is comfortably Rodgers' best centre-back, and with an all-round game similar to compatriot Koscielny paired with potential to develop into a world-class defender, his inclusion here is self-explanatory.
LB: Nacho Monreal
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Rodgers is facing something of a left-back dilemma at Liverpool this season, with 18-year-old Joe Gomez currently performing the role for the Reds while former Sevilla man Alberto Moreno waits in the wings—neither are perfectly suited to the position at present.
Compare that to Wenger's left-sided options and Nacho Monreal stands out as the obvious candidate for our selection.
An unassuming character, Monreal has developed into a consistent, no-fuss left-back similar to that of Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta.
Wenger's first choice takes his place in our XI.
CM: Jordan Henderson
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Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson may miss Monday night's game, but the 25-year-old makes our selection here over Emre Can, Francis Coquelin, Mikel Arteta, James Milner and Aaron Ramsey.
The former Sunderland man suffered a foot injury during the Reds' 1-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth on Monday and Rodgers confirmed on Saturday that "we’re just assessing Jordan day-by-day," via the club's official website.
Losing Henderson will be a considerable blow to Rodgers' tactical outlook at the Emirates, with his relentless pressing game, strong passing range and tenacity in midfield providing the perfect balance for a demanding midfield setup on Merseyside.
Coquelin may be a more diligent defensive midfielder, Milner the more experienced all-round talent and Ramsey one of the Premier League's most dangerous attacking midfielders when in form, but none match the consistency and quality of Henderson, who has already made one assist in his 142 minutes on the field for Liverpool this season.
CM: Santi Cazorla
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Partnering Henderson in this two-man midfield pivot is the sensational Santi Cazorla.
At the end of last season, Bleacher Report's James McNicholas expertly detailed the evolution of Cazorla from prowling, diminutive No. 10 to tempo-dictating central midfielder:
"It seemed absurd that a player who had been considered too lightweight to play as a central attacking playmaker could be asked to sit deep at the base of the Arsenal midfield, but Wenger had clearly observed a change in the Spaniard.
[...]
Cazorla has taken up the conducting baton from Mikel Arteta: He now sets the rhythm of every Arsenal performance.
"
Cazorla is a supremely intelligent midfielder, and this is accentuated by his creativity and low centre of gravity to make him an unlikely success at the base of midfield.
RW: Alexis Sanchez
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Taking up the right-wing position in this XI is the best player from either squad: Alexis Sanchez.
Sanchez spurned the advances of Liverpool last summer in favour of a move to north London, and immediately became Wenger's key player—in 2014/15, Sanchez scored 16 goals and made eight assists in 35 Premier League games.
Short of match fitness at this point in the season following his summer exploits with Chile in the Copa America, Sanchez is yet to truly shine for Arsenal upon his return.
However, with a bright 75-minute display in last weekend's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, he has already arguably outperformed Liverpool's two right-sided options, Jordon Ibe and Adam Lallana.
CAM: Mesut Ozil
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Completing a sumptuous trio of Arsenal midfielders within this XI, Mesut Ozil will perform the No. 10 duties in our selection.
An understated playmaker, Ozil has hit the ground running in 2015/16, making one assist and—just besting Cazorla—averaging a remarkable 4.7 key passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League, as well as completing 92.2 percent of his passes.
Drifting into pockets of space and offering a constant outlet in possession, Ozil links the Arsenal attack together effortlessly.
Alongside Sanchez and our next selection, Ozil would truly shine.
LW: Philippe Coutinho
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Philippe Coutinho is by far and away Liverpool's best player, taking up the mantle following Luis Suarez's £75 million move to Barcelona last summer.
Kicking off the season in style with a late, long-range strike in Liverpool's opening 1-0 victory away to Stoke City, Coutinho announced his intentions for 2015/16—despite spending much of the summer representing Brazil in a gruelling Copa America campaign.
Coutinho's ability demands a place in this XI.
ST: Olivier Giroud
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Deciding between Olivier Giroud and Christian Benteke is akin to splitting hairs.
Both have proven themselves accomplished Premier League strikers, with consistent goalscoring records in the top flight: Giroud scored 14 goals in 27 league games last season, while Benteke hit 13 in 29.
To complement this slick, fast-paced XI, however, Giroud is given the nod over Liverpool's £32.5 million man.
Benteke's game is based on power and mobility, whereas Giroud's guile and effortless linkup play make him the perfect option to spearhead this continental forward line.
Full XI and Substitutes
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Combined Arsenal-Liverpool XI: Cech; Clyne, Koscielny, Sakho, Monreal; Henderson, Cazorla; Sanchez, Ozil, Coutinho; Giroud.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Milner, Firmino, Benteke
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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