Sporting Life
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp

Man City v Liverpool: FootballCritic stats show who would make a combined team of Jurgen Klopp & Pep Guardiola's stars

By Paul Macdonald
Football
Thu July 02, 2020 · 4y ago

As the two dominant teams meet again on Thursday, FootballCritic's Paul Macdonald tries to settle the argument of who'd make a combined XI.

Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp's sides have carved up the league between them the last few years, both of them enjoying dominant title wins either side of that epic one-point title race last season.

There's always an argument on who would make it into a combined XI of the team powerhouses though, so using their in-depth stats at FootballCritic, Paul Macdonald has come up with their best team.

This lot wouldn't lose many..

Man City v Liverpool combined team (4-3-3)

FootballCritic have picked their Man City v Liverpool combined XI for Sporting Life

GK: Alisson

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been outstanding

There’s little doubt that Alisson has been virtually flawless since his move to Liverpool two years ago, but even by his own standards his Premier League performance this season is sensational.

There have been injuries - a muscle strain sustained on the opening day of the season kept him out for seven matches - but in 1915 minutes he has conceded just 11 goals, an equivalent of 0.51 per game, almost twice as efficient as Kasper Schmeichel in second place. By comparison, Ederson has conceded the equivalent of one goal per game. Ederson has by no means been poor, but at the current moment Alisson is untouchable.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent Alexander-Arnold is Liverpool's right back playmaker

Under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage TAA has revolutionised the position of full-back, transforming into an auxiliary winger/playmaker from wide on the right. His 12 assists are second only to Kevin De Bruyne in the Premier League, while his 15 Big Chances created is, again, only behind the Belgian.

This is a talented creator who just happens to play at full-back; his crossing, passing range and general comfort on the ball have led to suggestions he could eventually progress into midfield. The question would be - why?

LB: Andrew Robertson

Jurgen Klopp hands out a hug to Andrew Robertson

Joao Cancelo’s performances whenever he has played for City - who have rotated at full-back pretty much all season - have been excellent, but Robertson and Alexander-Arnold have to come as a collective because of how they complement each other.

Robertson’s defensive capability is arguably more attuned than TAA and only his team-mate has more goal contributions than him (nine goals + assists combined). The balance to the attack that these two bring means it’s difficult to split them up.

CB: Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk has been a giant for Liverpool

There’s very little left to be said about Van Dijk. He’s the complete package, a defender who doesn’t need to tackle, whose positional skill is unparalleled and passing ability is of the required standard of a modern centre-back in a possession-based side.

Team-mates have referenced his leadership and his transformative influence in the Liverpool dressing room, and now we can add consistency to that list, building on his Player of the Year season in 18/19 with, arguably, an even better one this time around. His aerial win % and duels win % is better than any other centre-back in the division.

CB: Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez could be a Liverpool and England defender for years

City’s central defensive problems are well-documented and while Aymeric Laporte is a world class player, having missed half the season it makes it difficult to include him. John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi have been rotated, too, and while Fernandinho has done a good job standing in, Gomez has all the qualities to be a leading centre-back in England for many years to come.

His partnership with Van Dijk has blossomed across the season, and with Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren being missing for long spells, he had to prove his fitness and consistency, something he has done with distinction. No central defender has made more touches, or more passes this season.

MCR: Kevin De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne is the best playmaker in the world at the current moment. He has created an astonishing 26 Big Chances in the Premier League, a little over double his nearest rival, Trent Alexander-Arnold.

With 27 goals and assists, he is averaging 1.0 non-penalty goal contribution P90, which is bettered in the Premier League only by team-mate Sergio Aguero (1.05). Only David Silva beats his 30.2 passes into the final third, while his 9.4 crosses P90 give a clear indication of De Bruyne’s key skill; whipping the ball at exceptional pace into a prime position for Aguero and Gabriel Jesus. A fantastic footballer who in any other season would be a definite Player of the Year, and may still turn out to be.

MC: Rodri

Rodri has been quietly impressive in his first season at Man City

City’s big summer signing has been a particular success; employed in the central position to recirculate the ball quickly and efficiently to more creative players such as Kevin De Bruyne, he has done that with distinction.

104 touches P90 - more than any other player in the league, which creates 91 passes on a 93% pass completion rate, the highest in the league in both disciplines, while under midfielders he ranks second in duels won and also in aerials won.

Fabinho has been a clear success for Liverpool and an integral part of their season, but Rodri has been an understated but effective addition at the Etihad.

MCL: Jordan Henderson

Many people’s pick for Player of the Year, Henderson’s career journey to reach this point is nothing short of extraordinary. From a position where he was in danger of being moved out of Anfield, to becoming the natural heir to Steven Gerrard, Henderson deserves immense praise for being the on-pitch personality of Jurgen Klopp.

He brings so much more to Klopp’s side than statistics; an energy, but also the ability to manage the pace of the game for his team. With pressing intensely such a key part of Liverpool’s ability to win the ball back, it must be regulated effectively for maximum impact, and Henderson is able to manage this for his team, gaining the trust of the entire squad.

FW: Mo Salah

Mohamed Salah: You just can't catch him in full flow

It’s testament to the ability of Salah that his performances this season have been seen as low-key but he remains as impactful and vital to Liverpool as ever; we are just now accustomed to his brilliance.

24 goals + assists is second only to De Bruyne in the division, his four shots P90 ranks third while his 1.7 on target ranks second. And seven of his 17 league strikes are what FC defines as Decisive, being goals that changed the match state into the state it finished; essentially points-winning goals. Only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raul Jimenez have scored more. His numbers may be a little down on last season, but he remains an absolutely essential member of Liverpool’s starting XI.

FW: Gabriel Jesus

Gabriel Jesus gets in ahead of fellow Brazilian Roberto Firmino

Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero have been rotated for much of the season, and as the latter gets older and more injury prone, Jesus has had to take his opportunities and show what he can do.

He has been a little slow out of lockdown - he hasn’t scored in 250 minutes - but his record until then was among not only the best in the division, but also the best in Europe. His non-penalty goal contributions P90 of 0.90 is the fourth best in the division behind City team-mates Aguero, De Bruyne and the underrated Riyad Mahrez (who just misses out on the team courtesy of Salah’s quality).

He has shown to be more than just a goalscorer and would be a superb centre-forward in this combined side.

FW: Sadio Mane

The brilliant thing about this Liverpool team is that in moments of duress, different players have stepped up to become match-winners. But none have done so as consistently as Sadio Mane.

His 0.60 non-penalty goals P90 ranks fourth in the Premier League, while his 0.88 non-penalty contributions P90 ranks fifth. Klopp’s ability to keep his front three fit and firing are the cornerstone of their success and though Roberto Firmino’s record is just slightly below-par, Mane and Salah’s incessant involvement in the moments that matter really is so difficult to replicate.

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