Liverpool and Arsenal combined XI: Only three Arsenal players make the cut

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Tomorrow evening sees Liverpool take on Arsenal in the Premier League in one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures on the calendar.

The Gunners make the trip to Anfield with both sides boasting 100% records from their first two fixtures of the season.

Over the years Liverpool and Arsenal have done battle in some highly entertaining fixture and the Gunners will hope to do better against the Reds than they did last year.

A 1-1 draw at the Emirates was followed up in December with Liverpool running out 5-1 winners in a horror-show at Anfield for Unai Emery.

Arsenal added smartly to their squad this summer, however, and it should be much closer this season.

Ahead of tomorrow’s game, we looked at a combined starting eleven featuring players from the two teams. With Liverpool winning the Champions League last year we’ve opted to use their tried and tested 4-3-3 formation:

Goalkeeper and back four

In goal, the choice is pretty straight forward. Although he won’t play tomorrow as he is injured, Alisson Becker is comfortably a safer pair of hands than Bernd Leno.

At the back, Liverpool take the lion share of players. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are arguably the best full-backs in Europe when it comes to going forward and both get the nod.

The central defence is made up with a player from each side. David Luiz signed for Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer and gets the nod to partner the world-class Virgil van Dijk.

Midfield trio

This is the one area where Arsenal get the edge over Liverpool.

One player from each team quite simply pick themselves. Jordan Henderson is the Reds captain and after lifting the Champions League last season, he wins a place; Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid also saunters into the side at a canter.

The other goes to a Gunner and Mateo Guendouzi gets the nod over Liverpool’s Fabinho.

The France under-21 international has been pretty impressive since arriving at Arsenal and the 2019/20 campaign could be a big one for the midfielder.

In attack

Two of the three forwards pick themselves. Mo Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both scored 22 Premier League goals last season and earn a place in this team.

Given that Roberto Firmino typically plays through the middle for Liverpool, he misses out on a place here.

The final place in the three-pronged attack goes to Sadio Mane.

The Senegalese forward was in tremendous form last season. He joined Salah and Aubameyang on 22 goals in the scoring charts and earns his place in this team on merit.

Here is how the combined Liverpool and Arsenal XI might look: