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Premier League | Gameweek 11
Nov 3, 2018 at 5.30pm UK
 
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Lacazette (82')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Milner (61')

Combined XI: Arsenal vs. Liverpool

Sports Mole selects its combined XI from the Arsenal and Liverpool squads ahead of Saturday's top-four showdown between the two sides at the Emirates Stadium.

Two of the top four go head to head on Saturday evening when Arsenal welcome unbeaten Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium.

The match will pit two impressive records against each other as Arsenal look to extend a run of 13 games without defeat - including 12 wins - while Liverpool bid to make it 11 games unbeaten at the start of a Premier League campaign for only the second time.

Jurgen Klopp's side go into the weekend sitting level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table, whereas Arsenal are two places and four points further back.

Here, Sports Mole selects a combined XI from both squads, only using players who are available this weekend.



Combined XI: ARS vs. LIV

Liverpool dominate the combined XI for this match, particularly in defence where the back five all come from Klopp's side - starting with goalkeeper Alisson Becker chosen ahead of both Bernd Leno and Petr Cech.

With Arsenal suffering a defensive injury crisis ahead of the match, including doubts over Hector Bellerin, the main dilemma is whether to choose Joe Gomez as a right-back or a centre-back, but Klopp has preferred the youngster out wide recently with Dejan Lovren therefore selected ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The rest of the back four is more straightforward, though, with Virgil van Dijk continuing to have an immeasurable impact on the Liverpool defence and Andrew Robertson establishing himself as one of the best left-backs in the division, despite being rested against Cardiff City last weekend.

Rumoured Liverpool target Aaron Ramsey might usually challenge for a place in the team, but he has been out of favour under Unai Emery in recent weeks. Georginio Wijnaldum is also unfortunate to miss out as Mesut Ozil narrowly earns a place ahead of the Dutchman as Arsenal's first representative in the team.

Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson is expected to return from a hamstring problem this weekend and so takes his place in the team alongside James Milner, who is also expected to be brought back into the Liverpool XI after being rested against Cardiff.

It could quite easily be an all-Liverpool front three too, but Sadio Mane is the unfortunate one to miss out despite scoring twice last time out. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gets the nod on that left wing having scored five goals in his last three league games and a joint-league leading seven this season.

Roberto Firmino has not been in the goals as much as Mane and Mohamed Salah - or indeed Alexandre Lacazette - but his importance to the Liverpool team cannot be overstated, and his recent performances have been instrumental in helping Salah to get back on the goal trail with four in his last three.

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Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in action during the Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion on August 25, 2018
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool23175156213556
2Arsenal23138244212347
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest24145540271347
4Manchester CityMan City23125647301741
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle24125742291341
6Chelsea23117545301540
7Bournemouth24117641281340
8Aston Villa2410773437-337
9Fulham249963632436
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2481063538-334
11Brentford2394104240231
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd2385102832-429
13Crystal Palace236982630-427
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2376102844-1627
15Everton236892328-526
16Tottenham HotspurSpurs2373134637924
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Leicester CityLeicester2445152553-2817
19Ipswich TownIpswich2437142249-2716
20Southampton2423191854-369


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