Erling Haaland leads the line, Kevin De Bruyne pulls the strings and Declan Rice and Rodri battle it out in midfield – but which team has more players in our combined Man City and Arsenal XI?
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In wһаt һаѕ Ьeen one of tһe tіgһteѕt, мoѕt fіercelу foᴜgһt tіtle rаceѕ іn recent уeаrѕ wіtһ tһe toр tһree ѕрlіt Ьу jᴜѕt а рoіnt, іt аlreаdу feelѕ lіke we’ʋe һаd ѕeʋerаl ѕіx-рoіnt cһамріonѕһір decіderѕ.
уet ѕᴜndау’ѕ clаѕһ of tһe tіtаnѕ Ьetween һolderѕ маncһeѕter cіtу аnd leаderѕ аrѕenаl wіll ѕee tһe lаteѕt crᴜel twіѕt of fаte һаnded oᴜt Ьу tһe footЬаllіng godѕ аt tһe Etіһаd.
Tһe Gᴜnnerѕ go іnto tһe gамe wіtһoᴜt а wіn аt tһeіr tіtle rіʋаlѕ іn oʋer nіne уeаrѕ – уeѕ, уoᴜ reаd correctlу – аnd һаʋe onlу ѕcored tһere once іn tһe leаgᴜe іn fіʋe уeаrѕ, Ьᴜt dіd record а fіrѕt wіn ᴜnder міkel аrtetа wһen tһeу lаѕt мet аt tһe Eміrаteѕ.
рeр Gᴜаrdіolа һаѕ doміnаted һіѕ рrotege іn tһe clаѕһ, wіtһ а 14-1 аggregаte ѕcore froм tһeіr lаѕt foᴜr gамeѕ, Ьᴜt tһаt fіrѕt ʋіctorу for tһe nortһ London oᴜtfіt coᴜld рroʋe а маѕѕіʋe рѕуcһologіcаl Ьаrrіer ѕweрt аѕіde.
cіtу’ѕ ѕqᴜаd іѕ іnаrgᴜаЬlу tһe ѕtrongeѕt іn world footЬаll, Ьᴜt һow маnу of аrtetа’ѕ аrѕenаl ѕtаrѕ woᴜld get іnto а coмЬіned ѕtаrtіng XI wіtһ tһe TreЬle-wіnnerѕ? һere маіl ѕрort rᴜnѕ tһe rᴜle oʋer tһe two ѕіdeѕ аһeаd of tһe gамe.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal travel to Manchester City on Sunday in a huge title clash with the Gunners leading the race
Pep Guardiola has dominated the head-to-head battles against his protege in the Premier League
Who makes Mail Sport’s combined XI between title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City?
FORMATION – 4-3-3
Goalkeeper
Ederson didn’t invent the modern sweeper-keeper role by any stretch – we can thank Manuel Neuer for that one – but he’s the man that springs to mind when you picture the modern goalkeeper.
The Brazilian has completed 22 successful keeper sweepings, and has a passing accuracy of 85.3 per cent, as well as 914 passes, 780 of which have been successful.
It feels like Ederson is so good with his feet that we often overlook just how good he is with his hands. He’s made 48 saves to David Raya’s 33, 15 more saves (48 to 33), and has a 65.8 per cent save success rate, narrowly edging out Raya’s 63.5, though.
It is a gross disservice to his talents and expertise to suggest he’s only in the Man City side for his footwork, given he has kept clean sheets in Champions League and FA Cup finals for the Citizens.
That being said, his opponent on Sunday Raya has a higher clean sheet percentage – 40.9 to 33.3 per cent – with both tied on nine, and the Brentford loanee has largely managed to shrug off the chatter about his position that emerged following his arrival with only 19 conceded goals. Let’s not underestimate that particular psychological achievement.
Though both are good with their feet and equally impregnable in between the sticks this term, it has to go to the Brazilian, who only Alisson can really challenge to the title of best goalkeeper in the world.
Verdict: Ederson (Man City 1-0 Arsenal)
Ederson is the consummate modern goalkeeper and rivals Alisson only to the title of best in the world
| Ederson vs David Raya statistics | |
| Ederson | David Raya |
| 27 | 22 |
| 8 | 9 |
| 48 | 33 |
| 65.75 | 63.46 |
| 25 | 19 |
| 18 | 27 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 22 | 13 |
| 780 | 433 |
| 85.34 | 71.81 |
Defenders
Right back
England have an embarrassment of riches at right back – so much so that it doesn’t really inflict much of a dent when Arsenal’s league-leading Ben White asks not to be included in the England squad.
So to be constantly picked at the top of the pile speaks volumes to the incredible player that is Kyle Walker, whose longevity is almost as impressive as his pace at 33 years old.
There are doubts over his fitness for the game, though it looks like he will shrug off a hamstring scare against Brazil to line up and likely captain his team on Sunday, and his presence will be a monumental boost.
He leads White for duels won (85), crosses (56 vs 44) and successful crosses (17 vs 10), although the Gunners star has more goals (two vs none), assists (four vs two) and successful tackles (19 vs 18).
Walker however and brings a ridiculous amount of experience and silverware to any side – it’s hard to think of many right backs in the world you’d take over the England man, and the reality is that’s been the case for a very, very long time now.
Verdict: Walker (Man City 2-0 Arsenal)
Kyle Walker’s longevity at right back is only rivalled by his pace with the right back still lightning quick as he heads towards his 34th birthday
Centre backs
It seems like Didier Deschamps is the only one in football at the moment that remains unconvinced by William Saliba’s credentials as a world-beating centre half.
He has drawn comparisons to Rio Ferdinand and Virgil van Dijk since the start of last season – two who could lay a good claim to best in Premier League history which isn’t bad going – and just oozes class and composure.
But he’s not just the Rolls Royce he is often labelled. He has 28 tackles, 96 successful duels, 11 blocks, and has won back possession a staggering 154 times, conceding only 14 fouls in the process.
His is a precocious talent, and one that is enough to displace Ruben Dias from the side who is, by his own previously herculean efforts, having something of an off-season, bettering Saliba’s numbers in only interceptions (22 vs 21).
But who partners Saliba at the back? Man City have been through something of a defensive injury meltdown in the last week or so, with John Stones and Manuel Akanji both picking up knocks over the international break, the former limited to just nine minutes against Belgium on Tuesday night.
William Saliba has earned comparisons to some of the game’s greatest ever defenders
Even fully-fit, though, it would be more difficult than anticipated to make a case for any of those City stars starting in place of Gabriel Magalhaes, Saliba’s often unsung partner at the back.
аfter рᴜrgіng һіѕ gамe of tһe міѕtаkeѕ tһаt croррed ᴜр іn һіѕ fіrѕt ѕeаѕon іn nortһ London, һe һаѕ Ьecoмe tһe рerfect foіl to tһe Frencһмаn, һіѕ аttrіЬᴜted маtcһіng рerfectlу to ѕаlіЬа’ѕ to creаte аrgᴜаЬlу tһe Ьeѕt раrtnerѕһір іn tһe leаgᴜe rіgһt now.
іf tһаt ѕoᴜndѕ а Ьold clаім, tһen уoᴜ need look no fᴜrtһer tһаn tһe 24 goаlѕ tһаt аrѕenаl һаʋe conceded tһіѕ ѕeаѕon іn tһe toр-flіgһt – tһe loweѕt tаllу іn tһe leаgᴜe to рᴜt tһeіr defence аһeаd of Lіʋerрool’ѕ (26) аnd cіtу’ѕ (28).
Tһe Ьrаzіlіаn іѕ аlѕo nᴜrѕіng а ѕlіgһt knock Ьᴜt іѕ exрected to Ьe fіt for ѕᴜndау’ѕ clаѕһ wіtһ tһe cіtу jᴜggernаᴜt іn а һᴜge Ьooѕt to аrtetа gіʋen һіѕ рһуѕіcаlіtу аnd wіllіngneѕѕ to рᴜt һіѕ Ьodу on tһe lіne.
GаЬrіel һаѕ 34 tаckleѕ, 18 of wһіcһ һаʋe Ьeen ѕᴜcceѕѕfᴜl, аѕ well аѕ 123 dᴜelѕ won, 64 ʋіctorіoᴜѕ dᴜelѕ іn tһe аіr, 25 Ьlockѕ аnd 22 іnterceрtіonѕ.
Tһe Gᴜnnerѕ раіr һаʋe рlауed 26 gамeѕ togetһer іn tһe рreміer Leаgᴜe tһіѕ terм, аnd аʋerаge 2.3 рoіntѕ рer gамe wһіcһ іѕ аlмoѕt tһe exаct ѕамe nᴜмЬer аѕ аrѕenаl’ѕ leаgᴜe tаllу, аnd tһeу keрt Erlіng һааlаnd qᴜіet oʋer 90 міnᴜteѕ аt tһe Eміrаteѕ lаѕt tімe tһeѕe two мet, аѕ good а reаѕon аѕ аnу to һаʋe Ьotһ іn tһe ѕіde.
Verdict: Saliba and Gabriel (Man City 2-2 Arsenal)
Gabriel Magalhaes and Saliba have partnered for 26 games this term and the Gunners boast the meanest defence in the league
Left back
This was an interesting call to make, largely given that neither side has had a regular left back all season for different reasons.
Jurrien Timber was brought in by Arsenal over the summer to play as an almost auxiliary third centre back in possession, allowing the right back to fly up the field, though a crippling ACL injury cruelly grounded those aims on the season’s first day.
Since then Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and latterly Jakub Kiwior have featured in that role, though none overly distinguishing themselves, the Japan international perhaps the standout despite being a right back by trade.
City likewise brought in Josko Gvardiol to fill in there in a similar manner, given he is a natural centre back that can play out on the flank, supporting Nathan Ake who has thrived in Guardiola’s invented left-back-cum-centre-back position from the start of 2023.
So in a sense, neither side really has an out and out left back, but in terms of filling the brief set by their manager, you can’t really argue against Ake taking the spot in this team.
Ake has won 86 duels, and 13 tackles this term, and has 11 interceptions, while also creating 10 chances and has four goal contributions to his name.
Verdict: Ake (Man City 3-2 Arsenal)
Nathan Ake is not an out and out left back but has adapted brilliantly to Guardiola’s hybrid role
Midfielders
We’ve gone with a midfield three as it seems the most fair way to sift through the unbelievable talents that both side possess in this department, and thereby have created a trio with a shout for being best in the world.
There’s a reason – several in fact – that Rodri is leading the race to be named PFA Player of the Year at the time of writing.
He is the irreplaceable, irrefutable and irresistible metronome guiding the City concerto through almost everything that stands in their way.
City have only lost four games since the start of the Premier League season in all competitions – the only four matches the Spaniard has missed in 2023-24. He is, quite inarguably, the best midfielder in the world, and will be up there in the Ballon d’Or nominations at the end of the year too.
Alongside the robotic Rodri lines up Declan Rice, who should be named best signing of the season by a country mile.
The two actually have remarkably similar numbers, with Rodri only pulling ahead in terms of duels won (150 vs 114), possession won (174 vs 133) and passes into the final third (325 vs 250), according to Opta.
The only four games Man City have lost since the start of the Premier League season have been the matches Rodri has missed
He has transformed the Arsenal midfield, which has long been considered their weakest point, and in recent weeks moved up from a ball-winner at the base of the three to a more progressive box-to-box midfielder where he thrives.
He has been influential at both ends of the pitch, with 11 goal contributions, 34 tackles won, and ahs played almost 2400 minutes of football in the league this term.
He has cropped up with massive moments for the Gunners with three of his six goals proving decisive in the result, while he has starred in the biggest games, such as against City earlier this season and Liverpool and Newcastle back in February.
His leadership, too, deserves note especially after taking the armband for England in his 50th appearance against Belgium on Tuesday night, the Three Lions earning a late 2-2 draw at Wembley.
Completing the trio is a player who has been far from his best this term, and yet still walks into any team in the world, in the shape of Kevin De Bruyne.
Declan Rice will likely be named signing of the season at the end of the campaign after his transformative impact at Arsenal
| Declan Rice vs Rodri statistics | |
|---|---|
| Premier League 2023-24 | Rodri |
| Games Played | 25 |
| Minutes Played | 2170 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Chances Created (inc. assists) | 35 |
| Tackles Won | 33 |
| Duels Won | 150 |
| Possession Won | 174 |
| Possession Won Final 1/3 | 25 |
| Passes Successful | 2428 |
| Passes, Into Final Third | 325 |
The Belgian maestro is an artist, the football pitch his canvas. He crops up with killer balls, pinpoint crosses, laserlike assists and lung-bursting runs from every square inch of the field, and has been the most important player for Guardiola since taking over City.
We have been cruelly deprived of his talents this term – he has just 14 club appearances in 2023-24 – but when he has played he has been scintillating, with two goals and 13 assists to his name.
In just nine appearances he has still managed 98 passes into the box, 47 balls into the final third, and had 32 touches in the opponent’s box.
There are some doubts over the magical midfielder’s fitness, though he is expected to shrug off a groin strain to feature on Sunday, but even a De Bruyne with his ankles tied together and blindfolded would waltz his way into the side.
Verdict: Rodri sits behind Rice and De Bruyne (Man City 5-3 Arsenal).
Kevin De Bruyne completes what would surely be the best midfield trio in the world right now
Forwards
Right wing
You don’t get your own Nando’s sauce for nothing. Bukayo Saka combines silky skills with venomous pace, with devastating agility and elasticity to ferocious effect on the right wing for Arsenal and England, and as such is an absolute shoo-in for this team.
It felt like he was having a quiet season by his standards at the turn of the year, but he has exploded into the offensive with eight goals and two assists in his last nine outings in the league, reminding rival managers and Gareth Southgate alike that there aren’t too many better in the world at doing what he does.
He has 21 combined goals and assists this term, with 215 touches in the opponent’s box and 39 completed dribbles highlighting his influence in the danger area for the Gunners, in addition to his 16 take-ons in the opposition box and 50 fouls won for his side.
Earlier in March he registered his 50th assists for the Gunners, becoming just the sixth player in the top-flight to manage a half century of both goals and assists since November 2018, behind world-beaters Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min, Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes.
That Arsenal’s affectionately-dubbed ‘starboy’ is mixing it with some of the best attackers in the world at the age of 22 is evidence if ever it were needed that he is set to become one of the finest players of his generation. It also helps having one of the most infectious grins in the game.
Verdict: Saka (Man City 5-4 Arsenal)
Arsenal’s ‘starboy’ Bukayo Saka starts at right wing and has eight goals and two assists in his last nine league appearances
Centre forward
There’s perhaps only one name you’d have ahead of Erling Haaland up top in a global XI, and even then you’re having a conversation about Harry Kane, even if the Bayern Munich star takes the No 9 shirt nine times out of 10.
The Norwegian’s obliteration of league scoring records is well-documented, his complete disregard for what should and shouldn’t be deemed possible in front of goal mind-blowing, and his utter dominance of English football since arriving last term undeniable.
It feels like Haaland was manufactured somewhere and programmed with the sole intention of scoring goals; we can chat about how few touches he has in a game as much as we like, or how he rarely strays from the area between the two posts, but the fact of the matter he has won a Treble and most of us haven’t.
He is another that seems to be having something of an understated campaign, but then you remember he has 29 goals in all competitions and 18 in 23 games in the league – the most of any other player.
Gabriel Jesus is a fine player, but his game is different to that of Haaland. The Brazilian is a fantastic dribbler, and his pressing intensity brings out the best in players around him, which has been a huge part of Arsenal’s resurgence, but he is not the goal-consuming force of nature that Haaland is.
Verdict: Haaland (Man City 6-4 Arsenal)
Erling Haaland is the best striker in the Premier League, and only Harry Kane really now challenges his talents on a global scale
| Erling Haaland vs Gabriel Jesus statistics | |
|---|---|
| Premier League 2023-24 | Gabriel Jesus |
| Games Played | 19 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Goals (ex. penalties) | 4 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Touches | 681 |
| Touches in the Opp Box | 116 |
| Total Shots (inc. Blocks) | 42 |
| Shots on Target | 17 |
| Shot Conversion Rate (inc. Blocks) | 9.52 |
| Possession Won Final 1/3 | 15 |
Left wing
There are some players that just seem to glide across the pitch, and Phil Foden is one that springs to mind almost immediately.
His low centre of gravity and balletic poise in possession make him a marvel to watch. With De Bruyne out for much of the season he has more than picked up the slack with 18 goals and 10 assists in 41 games across all competitions for City.
In a way, he is a great counterpart to his rival for the No 11 shirt, Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian plays with an often uncontained, frenetic energy and blistering raw pace that on occasion see him run into a dead end. Mind you, he often wriggles free, but he can at times appear blinkered.
Take nothing away from him – he will be one of the best forwards of the next 15 years should he avoid injury, but Foden in contrast moves with an unconscious grace and dribbles with such a deliberate drive that it’s difficult to take your eyes off him at times.
It’s not for nothing Guardiola has paid the ultimate compliment of comparing him to his former pupil Lionel Messi; while the Argentine is a once in a millennium player, there are echoes of his dribbling mastery in Foden.
At 23, Foden will play his 260th game for City on Sunday, with a Treble already in his trophy cabinet and the entire world at his feet. The Stockport Iniesta takes the left wing spot here, and looks set to do the same in Germany this summer.
Verdict: Foden (Man City 7-4 Arsenal)
Phil Foden already has 259 appearances for Manchester City despite being just 23 years of age
Seven Man City stars make the combined XI with four of Arteta’s Gunners joining them in the team
Honourable mention
There is no place for Bernardo Silva in this team, his versatility perhaps his undoing in that regard.
The Portuguese star is the most under-rated player in the game, and would probably do a job in goal if Guardiola asked him to, and could have made the XI in three different positions.
Combined City and Arsenal XI: Ederson (Man City); Walker (Man City), Saliba (Arsenal), Gabriel (Arsenal), Ake (Man City); Rodri (Man City), Rice (Arsenal), De Bruyne (Man City); Saka (Arsenal), Haaland (Man City), Foden (Man City).
