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Chelsea vs Manchester City combined XI: 4-3-3 with sprinkles

By Olaoluwa Nwobodo

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola elbow bumps with Chelsea's English head coach Frank Lampard after during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on June 25, 2020. - Cheslea won the match 2-1. Jurgen Klopp's legendary status at Anfield was secured on Thursday as he became the first Liverpool manager to win a league title in 30 years. (Photo by PAUL CHILDS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL CHILDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola elbow bumps with Chelsea's English head coach Frank Lampard after during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on June 25, 2020. - Cheslea won the match 2-1. Jurgen Klopp's legendary status at Anfield was secured on Thursday as he became the first Liverpool manager to win a league title in 30 years. (Photo by PAUL CHILDS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL CHILDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 7: Ben Chilwell of Chelsea scores the second goal to make it 0-2 Agustin Marchesin of FC Porto during the UEFA Champions League match between FC Porto v Chelsea at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on April 7, 2021 in Seville Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 7: Ben Chilwell of Chelsea scores the second goal to make it 0-2 Agustin Marchesin of FC Porto during the UEFA Champions League match between FC Porto v Chelsea at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on April 7, 2021 in Seville Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /

Thomas Tuchel meets Pep Guardiola for the first time as a Chelsea manager as Chelsea face Manchester City in a fierce FA Cup semifinal clash. Both teams want to win this competition equally. The Blues got to the final of this cup last season but lost to Arsenal in the final. Manchester City won it two seasons ago. As is tradition in fixtures of this magnitude, a combined XI is in order, to see just how much of a (mis)match these teams are.

Chelsea’s new found solidity cannot give them too much confidence as Manchester City have also been impenetrable in their own right. In order to accommodate as many players as possible we use a 4-3-3 and here’s who we think gets into the combined XI of Chelsea and Manchester City:

Ederson (No. 31) Goalkeeper, Brazil

Ederson has been superb this season. He probably hasn’t been used much in the FA Cup till now. However the semifinals are where teams start looking to their best available eleven. Ederson gets into this combined XI for many things. He has been more consistent over the season, in all competitions he’s played. Mendy has been too but Ederson just edges it. Ederson’s distribution this season has been spectacular, and his willingness to distribute quickly can be the difference in a game of this magnitude.

Kyle Walker (No. 2) Right back, England

Walker has been very good this season. He made the move to Manchester City from Tottenham Hotspur and it was the right move indeed. He too, like Ederson would likely not have featured in the FA Cup much till this point, then again they haven’t played Chelsea in the FA Cup till this point.

John Stones (No. 5) Centerback, England

Stones has been rejuvenated since the arrival of Ruben Dias. However he has been excellent in his own right too. Many had written him off when Manchester City had to spend big again on yet another centerback. Stones has kept Aymeric Laporte out of the line-up, and that’s not something we ever thought we’d be saying. Guardiola himself also confirmed that Stones is starting because he deserves to. Besides, with Guardiola, you only start if you deserve to.

Ruben Dias (No. 3) Centerback, Portugal

Dias has been arguably the most influential centerback in England. It’s not even arguable really. His arrival gave Manchester City the balance it has lacked in recent times, especially in certain competitions. He arrived this season from SL Benfica and has been a key figure in the Manchester City defense. He’s been incredibly consistent and though he has not been used frequently in the FA Cup, he’d definitely be used now.

Ben Chilwell (No. 21) Left back, England

Chilwell has been quite consistent this season. The arrival of a new manager at his club halted his momentum somewhat because of the differences in demands from manager to manager. He would give this backline the balance it needs, as he has the speed to get back into position to defend and he can also get forward and attack well.

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