Arsenal meet Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League, and fanatix has picked the best combined starting XI from the two squads currently at the top of the English top flight.
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper
Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)
While Wojciech Szczesny has had a tremendous start to the season, and finished the previous campaign well, he has yet to show the consistency of Simon Mignolet in the Liverpool goal.
Mignolet needs to work on his organisation, command of his area and distribution, but his shot stopping is right up there with the very best in the game.
Defence
Bacary Sagna (Arsenal)
There are few players better when under the cosh than Bacary Sagna, with the Gunners’ defence of their lead against Crystal Palace after Mikel Arteta was sent off a prime example.
Glen Johnson offers more in attack, but Sagna is the better all round defender, and deserves his place here.
Martin Skrtel (Liverpool)
Martin Skrtel was expected to leave Anfield in the summer after a host of transfer rumours, but the Liverpool defender has started this season in great form, adapting well to Brendan Rodgers’ switch of formation to 3-5-2.
Per Mertesacker has been an immensely calming influence on the Arsenal side, but his lack of pace sees him miss out here.
Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
Laurent Koscielny is a fantastic defender whose pace and concentration help him stand out against the best strikers the game has to offer.
His compatriot Mamadou Sakho has not yet acclimatised to the Premier League, but will hope to trouble Koscielny for his place in the France team in the future.
Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
England may have the best left backs in the world. It’s just a shame about the rest of the positions.
Still, Kieran Gibbs is immensely unlucky not to have won more England caps, but with Ashley Cole suffering a slight dip in form, perhaps the Arsenal man has a chance of a place on the plane to Brazil next summer.
Even then, Southampton star Luke Shaw will be unlucky to lose out – illustrating the strength in depth the Three Lions can boast at left full back.
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