Chelsea vs Liverpool combined XI: Evenly split team in 4-3-3

Chelsea's French midfielder N'Golo Kante runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 28, 2021. - - 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 ELLIS / 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. / 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 ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 28, 2021. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

Defensive midfielder: Fabinho, Liverpool

Fabinho edges out his competitors in this one, as well. He beats out Jorginho in duels, 52 percent to Jorginho’s 48 percent. He also edges Jorginho in the ball winning department, as he wins 52 percent of his tackles to the Italian’s 50 percent. He makes way more interceptions per game than Jorginho though and that counts significantly.

Jorginho does beat the Brazilian in chance creation though, creating 0.8 chances per game to Fabinho’s 0.6. He has created five big chances this season to Fabinho’s one. Fabinho edges Jorginho in passing, as Jorginho has a slightly higher pass completion, according to fbref. Jorginho makes almost 10 more passes than Fabinho per game. The implication is that 12 percent of Fabinho’s passes are into the final third, with 8 percent of his passes being progressive, compared to eight percent and eight percent of Jorginho’s passes going into the final third and being progressive respectively. Fabinho also has a higher long ball accuracy, 57 percent to Jorginho’s 54.

Central midfielder: Mateo Kovacic, Chelsea

Mateo Kovacic undoubtedly gets into this combined XI. His passing, dribbling and creation numbers are second-to-none of any of the central midfielders across both clubs. His off the ball work rate makes this even better, winning the ball in the final third the most out of all midfielders across both clubs. 11 percent of Kovacic’s passes per 90 go into the final third and 10 percent of them are progressive.

Central midfielder: N’Golo Kante, Chelsea

N’Golo Kante gets in simply by how good he has been this season and how good he has been over the years. The Frenchman is often mistaken for a defensive midfielder, yet Tuchel brought him on at halftime against Tottenham Hotspur and fixed Chelsea’s attack; the Blues went on to win the game 3-0, after being tied at 0-0.

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