Liverpool and Manchester City meet in the Premier League this afternoon as one of the division’s biggest rivalries resumes.
The two teams have emerged as modern adversaries, sharing each of the last seven Premier League titles between them and competing ferociously for major honours.
Ahead of their latest encounter, we’ve selected our Liverpool and Manchester City Combined XI.
Liverpool vs Manchester City – Combined XI
Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker – Liverpool
The selections kick off with a heavyweight matchup, with Alisson edging out Gianluigi Donnarumma for the gloves. Donnarumma is the reigning Yashin Trophy, but there’s an argument that Alisson is the most complete goalkeeper in the game.
Right-back: Matheus Nunes – Manchester City
Liverpool have a crisis at right-back right now with Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong out, as Arne Slot looks for makeshift cover. What started as makeshift cover for Manchester City has turned into a successful experiment with Matheus Nunes. The Portugal international has made that role his own.
Centre-back: Marc Guehi – Manchester City
But for a last-gasp collapse, Marc Guehi may have been lining up in a red shirt today. As it happened, he’s joined Manchester City’s centre-back stocks and has started impressively at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola has backed Guehi to be a big player for several seasons to come.
Pep 💬 (On if impressed with Marc Guéhi) A lot… He’s a great, great, great player, you can smell it, a great signing for five, six, seven years. He’s top. He lives to be a good central defender. pic.twitter.com/ye2JJ0y7SB
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 6, 2026
Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool
Liverpool’s centre-back colossus has looked far more mortal this season, but the Dutch defender remains key for the Reds. A towering aerial presence and leader, his duel with Erling Haaland will be central to the narrative at Anfield.
Left-back: Milos Kerkez – Liverpool
Milos Kerkez has recovered from a shaky start at Liverpool to grow into the side. The Hungarian has a tendency to be overzealous in his defending, but improvement will come with maturity. He brings endless energy to the Liverpool left. Neither Nico O’Reilly nor Rayan Ait-Nouri has claimed first-choice status with the Citizens.
Midfield: Rodri – Manchester City
Rodri is still getting back up to speed after an ACL lay-off, but it’s impossible to leave out the Ballon d’Or winner. At his best, he makes Manchester City tick, with rhythmic passing and vision.
Midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool
Liverpool’s leading light this season. Szoboszlai has been the standout for Arne Slot, rarely dropping below excellent, even when others around him have faltered. His lung-busting performances have had him billed as a captain-in-waiting.
No player has created more big chances than Dominik Szoboszlai in the UCL this season ✨
(via @WhoScored) pic.twitter.com/Je5WgytovS
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 28, 2026
Right-wing: Antoine Semenyo – Manchester City
It feels blasphemous to leave Mohamed Salah out of a Combined XI involving Liverpool, but on this season’s performance, it’s Semenyo who earns the nod. The Ghana international has made an immediate impact at City, with four goals in six games. Just two players have outscored Semenyo in the Premier League this season.
Left-wing: Rayan Cherki – Manchester City
Another toss-up between two players who can be a delight to watch, Cherki claims the left-wing role ahead of Florian Wirtz. The latter has recovered from an underwhelming start to shine at Liverpool, but Cherki’s instant impression edges this battle. The Frenchman’s output has been phenomenal with a goal or assist every 88 minutes on average.
Rayan Cherki after 18 starts for Man City this season:
▪️20 Goal contributions
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 29, 2026
Forward: Hugo Ekitike – Liverpool
The signing of the Premier League season? He’s in the conversation. Hugo Ekitike’s excellent performances for Liverpool have rather condemned the absence of £125m record signing Alexander Isak to an afterthought.
The latter has serious work to do to oust Ekitike on his return. Liverpool can not play without him at the moment.
Hugo Ekitike is loving life at Anfield 😮💨🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/rNTNqA7QFz
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) January 31, 2026
Forward: Erling Haaland – Manchester City
The best in the world was how Pep Guardiola assessed Erling Haaland this week, even after, by his standards at least, a goal drought. It’s hard to argue with the Manchester City boss. Haaland has an absurd 105 goals in 121 league appearances for City.
Read – Eight moments that defined the Liverpool vs Man City rivalry
See more – Liverpool vs Manchester City – Match preview and team news
