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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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 28: Thiago Silva and Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea interact during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield on August 28, 2021 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

Right winger: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Mohamed Salah leads the Premier League in goals, assists, big chances created and goal involvements. It seemed the Egyptian peaked in the 2017/18 season where he scored 32 league goals, but that doesn’t seem even remotely true now. Salah created 12 big chances in the season he scored 32 league goals, this season he has already created 11. He had 10 assists in that season and he already has nine assists this season, all of this with 19 games still to play. He scored 0.86 goals per game over 36 games in that season, he’s at 0.79 now, which is still insane. Salah is not just the best player in the league this season, he’s the best player in world football, as he’s dominating in all aspects in the final third: goals, assists and big chances created.

Striker: Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku makes it into this combined XI by being the only firing nominal center forward in both clubs. Lukaku has been out due to injury for a fairly long time and then when he came back from injury, he wasn’t starting straightaway. The Chelsea fanbase is in turmoil now due to the comments from Lukaku’s interview that were revealed. It is genius by whoever released it to choose to release it now. What better time to create an impression that your star player is at loggerheads with his manager after a draw that sees the club sit eight points behind the league leaders going into Christmas. It’s perfect timing from Fabrizio Romano’s point of view.

Lukaku just had an error of judgement in granting this interview because now it has created a messy situation that is extremely difficult to clean up. Lukaku doesn’t owe Inter Milan fans any apology. It’s his career, only he can decide the right time to move, and he doesn’t owe anyone an explanation for moving. He has gotten to where he is by his own hard work and decisions, and he doesn’t owe any club loyalty, he should stop granting interviews in the name of explaining anything to any clubs fans. Lukaku now needs to put his head down and keep working.

Left winger: Diogo Jota, Liverpool

The numbers don’t lie and Diogo Jota has been exceptional this year. He beats Mason Mount and Sadio Mane to the spot in terms of goals scored, scoring more than the other two forwards at 10 goals. All three forwards interestingly have created six big chances this season. Many of the statistics between the three stars are quite similar, down to shot and goal creating actions.

Next. Tactics and Transfers special edition: Chaos at Chelsea pre-Liverpool. dark

Who makes your combined XI? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

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