Chelsea and Liverpool combined XI: A surprisingly healthy mix

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – JULY 22: Olivier Giroud of Chelsea takes the ball back to centre after scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield on July 22, 2020 in Liverpool, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Phil Noble/Pool via Getty Images) /

Chelsea hosts Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, so it got us thinking. What would a combined XI between the two sides look like?

Chelsea will be looking for revenge when it takes on Liverpool this Sunday at Stamford Bridge, having lost both fixtures against the Premier League champions last season. After a massive summer spending spree though, the Blues are looking ready to challenge Liverpool at the top of the table.

Both sides were victorious in their respective first matches this season. Chelsea handled Brighton 3-1 at the Amex Stadium, while Liverpool was tested, but still managed to pull out a 4-3 win over new boys Leeds United at Anfield.

This match-up is particularly intriguing for neutrals because there are massive names all over the pitch. From van Dijk to Salah to Kante to Werner, there are a ton of stars taking part in this match. Some positions were particularly difficult to choose, but this is the combined XI for Chelsea and Liverpool:

Goalkeeper: Alisson, Liverpool

Goalkeeper was not one of the difficult positions to decide, with Alisson being the obvious top choice over the struggling Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Reds’ No. 1 has been nearly flawless since his arrival from Roma back in 2018, and his steady hands have been a big reason for the team’s success.

On the opposite end of the goalkeeping spectrum, we find Arrizabalaga. His performance last weekend against Brighton was just another display where proved he doesn’t have what it takes to be a Premier League keeper. The Seagulls’ lone goal slipped right under his arms in what many said should’ve been a pretty comfortable save. His confidence is clearly very low, and it’s just time for a new man between the sticks.

Right back: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool

Another key member of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool revolution, Trent Alexander-Arnold has proven to be one of the best, most consistent fullbacks in world football. He’s so dangerous going forward— especially with that sniper of a right foot—capable of picking out any teammate anywhere on the pitch.

One area where TAA could develop further is his restraint going forward and commitment to defense at times. Like Chelsea’s Reece James, Alexander-Arnold has a tendency to forget his defensive duties and join the attack, which has resulted in easy counters for opposing teams. Mason Mount will likely be deployed on the left wing again for the Blues, so he will have to watch for these opportunities.

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Centerback: Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool

Was there any other name that could’ve gone here? The best defender in the world and 2018/19 Premier League Player of the Year is the obvious No. 1 choice among all the centerbacks in this match-up.

There’s no doubt that van Dijk is already an EPL legend, but we have seen a few kinks in his armor from the end of last season into the beginning of this one. Liverpool’s defense has conceded at least two goals in three of their last five Premier League matches, a slightly worrying statistic considering how dominant it was at the beginning of last season.

Centerback: Thiago Silva, Chelsea

This one might be somewhat controversial considering Joe Gomez is highly rated by many football fans—including myself—but Thiago Silva has to be the choice here. Even though some might say he’s washed and heading into the twilight of his career, he’s still one of the most intelligent defenders in world football. After almost two decades as a pro, it’s pretty safe to say there’s nothing that Silva hasn’t seen.

Chelsea fans might have to wait another week to see Silva’s debut, seeing as he just joined group training for the first time on Wednesday.

Left back: Andy Robertson, Liverpool

Andy Robertson’s meteoric rise to the top of European football has been well-documented, and he’s very well deserving of being included in this combined XI. Like Alexander-Arnold on the right, Robbo is always a threat going forward on the left side. The whipped crosses from his left foot can be deadly if not dealt with correctly by opposing defenses.

Robertson is a real problem player to watch out for on Sunday, especially if Havertz is deployed on the right wing again as he was against Brighton. He requires a lot of attention defensively, so James will probably have to play pretty conservatively to try and neutralize both he and Mane.

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