Arsenal v Man City Combined XI named ahead of Premier League clash ft. Saka, Grealish & Haaland

This Sunday, Arsenal take on Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in perhaps the biggest game of the season in the Premier League. Of course, these teams were the best two sides in the division last season, with the Gunners pushing City into the second half of the season, with Pep Guardiola’s side ultimately winning the title.

The gap between the two clubs has narrowed considerably since Mikel Arteta arrived in north London, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Spaniard is yet to beat the Cityzens in the league as manager. In fact, Arsenal’s last win against City in the Premier League was back in 2015. However, the two teams have already faced each other at Wembley Stadium this season, and the match went completely smoothly, with the Gunners ultimately winning the Community Shield on penalties. .

Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of discussion about the quality of both teams leading up to the match. Discussing such topics on the Sky Sports Saturday Social, content creators Robbie Lyle and Lawrence “Babay” Berry debated who exactly should be included in the shared eleven made up of players from both teams. did. You can see their entire team below.

Goalkeeper – Ederson

There has been a lot of debate over the north London goalkeeper position this season, with Aaron Ramsdale recently losing his place in the team to David Raya. The Englishman appears to have been a safe choice between the Gunners’ positions, but Arteta clearly has no confidence. Therefore, the Brentford man was loaned out in the summer.

Considering the uncertainty surrounding Arsenal’s role, it makes a lot of sense for Ederson to join the team as number one in this overall eleven. Lyle insists that Ramsdale deserves to be in the team as he was named in the PFA Team of the Year. However, given the Brazilian won the treble, including the Premier League, it makes sense that the City star would be chosen here.

Left-back – Oleksandr Zinchenko

Zinchenko throw-in

Of course, Zinchenko is highly regarded by all fans as a strong option at left-back due to his international experience for both teams. Since joining Arsenal in the summer of 2022, he has contributed to a change in the way the Gunners play, often stepping into the middle of the park to dictate the tempo.

Vevey even admits that he “loves” the player after watching his exploits at City, but after last season’s brilliant performances and with more confidence in defense, Nathan Ake is in the squad. I feel like I should be there. At this point, co-host Adam Smithee said: There’s not much agreement…” Eventually, Zinchenko agrees.

Center Back – Rúben  Dias

Manchester City – Rúben Dias

Both presenters agree without much discussion that Dias deserves a place in the team, and it’s easy to see why. is not difficult. After all, he has won the league in each of the three seasons since joining from Benfica in 2020. After missing the opening game of this season, he played the entirety of City’s Premier League campaign.

Gabriel Magalhaes is of course a great defender in his own right, but at 25 years old he has yet to reach the same heights as Diaz. He also sat on the bench for the first three games of the season, which wouldn’t have helped his cause here.

Center Back – William Saliba

Arsenal – William Saliba

Lyle has vehemently claimed that Saliba is “the best young centre-back in world football”, and perhaps that’s what he insists on. It’s no exaggeration to say that. He insists he should join the team ahead of John Stones as he has taken a few years to prove himself under Guardiola, while the Frenchman has been in the squad since making his Premier League debut last season. It has made a good impression.

Bubay claimed the Stones and said: By the way, he moved into midfield and still plays as a central defender, dominating matches at the highest level of football. Saliba hasn’t done it yet.” So close, co-host Joe Tomlinson chimed in, nodding to the Arsenal man.

Right-back – Kyle Walker

Kyle-Walker-Man-City

Arsenal fans will argue that in Ben White they have a perfect picture of consistency and the Englishman certainly does always seem to put in a good performance for Arteta, whether that be at right-back or even sometimes in the heart of the defence. Even so, both Buvey and Lyle name Walker in their team.

The 33-year-old is one of the key leaders within Guardiola`s squad and has been for a number of years now. AFTV presenter Lyle does praise White, but picks Walker ahead of him, explaining: “Just because he’s been doing it consistently for a longer period of time.”

Central midfield – Rodri

Rodri-Man-City

Buvey makes the strong claim that: “Rodri is the best of his generation, in the last five or six years, of defensive midfielders.” And cites his Champions League-winning goal as a moment that proves he is undeniably up there with the best.

Lyle evidently agrees as he also picks the Spaniard in the team. Of course, Rodri is suspended for this game, so it will be interesting to see how City cope without such a key player, especially after last week’s loss to Wolves in which the 27-year-old was absent. It will be.

Central Midfield – Declan Rice

Declan Rice-3

City fans, considering Guardiola tried to sign Rice this summer before ultimately deciding on a £100m move to Arsenal. It would be a little childish to suggest that he wouldn’t, then. He wants to add the former West Ham player to his line-up. Of course, Ilkay Gundogan has only recently found a place in this general eleven, with his move to Barcelona in July.

Rice started life in north London quite well, delivering a number of confident performances in the middle of the park. He may have even put a smile on the faces of some City fans when he scored the winning goal in the last minute against his arch-rivals Manchester United in September. He gets buy-in from both Lyle and Bubay here.

Central Midfield – Kevin De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City

Unsurprisingly, Bouvey spoke highly of De Bruyne, saying: He’s a (Steven) Gerrard, a Roy. Keane, he’s at the level of (Patrick) Vieira,” the Premier League midfielder. Lyle interjects at this.Stay strong.” Nevertheless, both men name the Belgian as a possible choice.

Martin Odegaard is a great player and deserves to be included in the discussion, even if Bouvey controversially claims that he is not yet at that level. A penalty from midfield – and the 24-year-old still has plenty of time to catch up with De Bruyne.

Left-wing – Jack Grealish

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.

The two presenters really disagree here with Gabriel Martinelli being suggested as an alternative to Grealish. Lyle notes: What about [Jérémy] Doku? He’s been keeping Grealish out of the team.” He then sarcastically added: “He’s so great, he can’t get in the team now…”

It is true that Martinelli starts for Arsenal if he’s fit, and that isn’t always the case for the Englishman under Guardiola. Even so, Grealish makes the team with Buvey arguing that they simply can’t have more Gunners in a combined XI when City are probably the best team in the world right now. He makes a fair point, but you can only wonder why Julián Álvarez wasn’t suggested.

Stats at current club	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Jack Grealish (Man City)	97	11	16
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal	136	33	21

Striker – Erling Haaland

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland points to the crowd after scoring.

In his first season at City, Haaland scored 52 goals in 52 competitive games (not including the Community Shield). He also fired his team to glory in the Champions League for the first time, as well as winning further Premier League and FA Cup titles. He indisputably deserves his place in this combined team.

Of course, Gabriel Jesus has made a very positive impact at Arsenal but Haaland’s arrival in England is one of the reasons he left City to join the Gunners. In the end, the duo don’t even debate this decision as the Norwegian comes into the XI without any question.

Right-wing – Bukayo Saka

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka

Saka is very much the jewel in the Arsenal crown and there was no way Lyle was going to take part in this debate without fiercely arguing that the 22-year-old should be in the combined side. And when Buvey suggests Bernardo Silva, the AFTV man angrily dismisses it, saying: “Bernardo Silva doesn’t even play consistently as a winger!”

After plenty of debate, the rest of the panel ultimately decide that Saka deserves his spot in the team, to which Buvey responds: “I can’t believe it” as he shakes his head. Silva is a brilliant player but the young Englishman just has that extra bit of something special about him right now. And seeing as the City man has just one goal and one assist in total this term – while Saka has five goals and five assists – the younger winger probably deserves the nod.