Please note, this XI is largely based on current form.
If we were to have selected a combined XI of Liverpool and Chelsea players before the start of the season, then it would most likely look nothing like this team.
Chelsea were favourites to retain the Premier League, and Liverpool were preparing to begin another campaign having, once again, made a raft of new signings and maintained hopes of securing Champions League football.
It’s fair to say that, if we made this team in August, it would’ve been dominated by players from Jose Mourinho’s team.
However, depsite the Anfield club enduring patchy form this season, drawing half of their games, replacing their manager and suffering a raft of injuries, they still have more players in this XI. That’s how poor Chelsea have been this season.
The Premier League champions have lost five of their ten games in the league, currently sit fifteenth and face a struggle to just qualify for the Champions League next season.
So, ahead of the fixture at Stamford Bridge between the pair, here’s a a combined XI of two teams in patchy form. Don’t expect a push for the title from this group.
Goalkeeper
Simon Mignolet
A better goalkeeper than Thaiburt Courtois? Definitely not, but as his Belgian compatriot is currently injured, we’ve opted for Simon Mignolet. The Liverpool goalkeeper still has his critics, and may eventually be replaced by Jurgen Klopp, but no other ‘keeper has kept more Premier League clean sheets in 2015.
Mignolet is not the most commanding presence in the penalty area, but is a good shot stopper and is arguably better than his current Chelsea counterpart.
Asmir Begovic was highly rated before he joined Chelsea from Stoke City in the summer, but the Bosnian has, so far, failed to convince.
Begovic hasn’t been helped by playing behind a leaky defence, but the 28-year-old’s kicking has been suspect and was guilty of being beaten on his near post during Chelsea’s loss to West Ham. His positioning was very suspect for Andy Carroll’s winner too.
Defence
Nathaniel Clyne
The former Southampton defender has made a solid start to life at Liverpool. Comfortable in possession, very good in one v one situations and as well as being a solid attacking outlet. Clyne scored his first goal for his new team mid-week, netting the winner against Bournemouth in the League Cup.
Clyne had no real competition for this spot from Chelsea, with Branislav Ivanovic in awful form before he got injured, and Mourinho using centre-half Kurt Zouma in this position recently.
Cesar Azpilicueta is a natural right-back, but has only played there twice this season.
Kurt Zouma
With John Terry’s form in the gutter, we’ve opted for Kurt Zouma ahead of Gary Cahill, Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren. The 21-year-old is fast, combative and will undoubtedly become an excellent defender. On current form, there’s little between the previously mentioned players, so we’re giving youth a chance in the form of Zouma.
Mamadou Sakho
Awkward looking in possession? Yes. A hunched running style? Yes. Capable of the odd bad performance? Yes. But Mamadou Sakho is a good defender.
AÂ good passer, strong in the air and last week’s performance against Southampton aside, Sakho has been in very good form for Liverpool. On current form, the other contenders haven’t done enough to supplant Sakho, who is arguably under-rated.
Alberto Moreno
Cesar Azpilicueta could feel somewhat hard done-by for being overlooked in favour of his Liverpool counterpart, but Alberto Moreno has been an impressive form recently, typified by an excellent sliding tackle against Southampton last week.
The left-back chased down the pacey Sadio Mane and put in a inch-perfect tackle, that could’ve easily cost his side a penalty if had’ve been a fraction off. The 23-year-old is also a threat going forward and should become a permanent fixture under Klopp.
Midfield
Lucas
This time last year you’d have been laughed out of the room if you were to select Lucas ahead of Nemanja Matic, but not ahead of this weekend’s fixture.
Lucas has been in excellent form, while Matic’s has plummeted. The 28-year-old was excellent in a number of Liverpool games this season – against Southampton, Spurs and Everton in particular – and his side looks more secure for his presence.
An intelligent, unspectacular player, Lucas is a good tackler, apt at reading the game and keeps play ticking over.
James Milner
An all-round midfielder, with bundles of energy and a sprinkling of quality, there’s no doubt Milner will become an important player for Klopp in the immediate future.
Milner’s cross for Christian Benteke’s goal last week was excellent, and he takes his place in this team on merit.
Cesc Fabregas
A tough choice to make, as no player from either side who plays in this position has been in good form. Adam Lallana has shown flashes of quality in recent games, without any end product. Roberto Firminio has yet to get a run in the Liverpool team, and Oscar has been a peripheral figure thus far.
Speaking of peripheral, Cesc Fabregas is almost a complete non-entity when not in possession, but is arguably just ahead of Philippe Coutinho for this XI.
The Liverpool number 10 is undoubtedly talented, but, aside from his strike against Stoke on the opening day of the season, has been lacking any moments of real quality this season.
Fabregas has been better in possession, and more likely to provide an assist for his teammates. Coutinho can be guilty of taking wild pot shots lieu of making an easy pass.
Willian
One of the few Chelsea players to have not left their form in last season, Willian has been the stand-out player for the misfiring Premier League champions, and has been used ahead of summer signing Pedro.
Willian has two goals and an assist in nine appearances, and comfortably takes his place in this team.
.@willianborges88: MotM vs West Ham, Rating 8.21, Key passes 3, Assists 1, Dribbles 4, Tackles 3 @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/dRxWV1WkwB
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 24, 2015
Eden Hazard
Yes, this team is based on current form, but would you really select Lallana ahead of Hazard at any point? The Belgian hasn’t hit the heights of last season when he was the best player in the league and rightly won both the Football Writers’ and Players’ Player of the Year awards, but is that all down to him?
Hazard is still creating chances, with only Mesut Ozil, Dimitri Payet and Santi Cazorla setting up more goalscoring opportunities for their teammates this season, and will undoubtedly return to form soon.
The 24-year-old is just too good to leave out.
Striker
Christian Benteke
The top scoring striker on either team, Benteke has struggled with injuries since his £32.5 million move from Aston Villa. But he has found the net on three of his six games for Liverpool in the league so far.
If Diego Costa was showing any kind of form or Daniel Sturridge was fit, then both would arguably start ahead of Benteke. But they’re not, and the Belgian will be the most in-form striker on show at Stamford Bridge when the team’s meet this weekend.
