One of English football's standout fixtures is contested this weekend as Manchester United welcome arch-rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford in the Premier League.
The 170th encounter between the sides is particularly tasty as they are separated by just two points in the race to finish best of the rest behind runaway leaders Manchester City.
United have fared marginally better than the Reds over the opening 29 games of the campaign, although as the table shows there is still very little to choose between the two.
Liverpool boast arguably the most formidable attacking trio on the continent heading into the fixture, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane collecting 68 goals and 31 assists between them this term.
The home side also boast plenty of talent throughout their ranks and, with that in mind, Sports Mole selects the strongest combined XI from both teams.
Despite the improvements made by Loris Karius since taking back control of the number one jersey from Simon Mignolet, there is no denying that David de Gea is the best goalkeeper currently plying his trade in the Premier League. United are second only to Man City in the defensive charts this term, although not even Citizens stopper Ederson has kept more clean sheets than De Gea's 16.
Plenty of discussion to be had in the full-back slots, meanwhile, where Andrew Robertson and Antonio Valencia get the nod in this hybrid XI. Valencia has become one of the most consistent performers in that position in recent years, despite previously being more renowned as a flying winger, while crossing specialist Robertson has grown more and more into the role following a slow start to life at Anfield upon joining from relegated Hull City last summer.
There is a debate to be had in the central defensive slots, too, as, despite shipping 10 goals more than United across the course of the season, Liverpool have looked a lot more solid since Virgil van Dijk joined two months ago in a world-record deal for a defender. The Reds have kept a clean sheet in half of the eight games the Dutchman has featured in, including shutouts in the Reds' last three away outings. Alongside him is the equally-reliable Eric Bailly, whose recent absence from United's lineup was keenly felt, ensuring that he gets the nod over the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Joel Matip.
Further forward, despite his recent struggles there is no disputing the quality Paul Pogba possesses - only two other players have assisted more goals, both of those being attacking midfielders, both of them playing more games. The box-to-box man has had every recent performance put under the microscope; every touch of the ball analysed; each misplaced pass scrutinised; every wayward shot ridiculed. Starting on the left of a midfield three, though, utilising the strengths that saw him grow into such a feared player at Juventus, Pogba can shine in this particular side alongside Nemanja Matic and Emre Can. Can's inclusion over some other key men, including breakthrough act Scott McTominay and Reds skipper Jordan Henderson, perhaps needs more justifying than Matic's, but a carrier is key in this particular 4-3-3 setup and the German is one of the finest in the division at doing exactly that.
While a mixture of players from both teams are used in midfield and defence, Liverpool dominate the front three. Mohamed Salah has been arguably the Premier League's best player so far - Kevin De Bruyne may suggest otherwise - thanks to 24 goals and eight assist on his return to English football. Key to the Egyptian's form, though, has been the movement of Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane alongside him, helping to rip opposition defences apart. That, combined with Romelu Lukaku's questionable record against top-six opposition, Alexis Sanchez's slow start to life at Old Trafford and Anthony Martial's drop off in form, ensures that the 'Fab Three' complete our combined XI.
Daniel Lewis
