REVEALED: The only Manchester United players to make a Liverpool-United combined XI

In the penultimate round of games before Christmas, Jurgen Klopp will unlikely never have a better opportunity to better Jose Mourinho for the first time in a league match in his career. Klopp has surprisingly never beaten his Portuguese adversary in a domestic match up, yet many are tipping Liverpool to overcome Manchester United at Anfield with ease today. 

The Reds are unbeaten in their last 28 home league outings and have kept a clean sheet in 11 of their last 12 at Anfield. With a lengthy injury list, Klopp will hope Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino run riot when Liverpool and United resume rivalries. Of course, Liverpool aren’t without their injury issues of their own, particularly at the back. Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip are all sidelined for this meeting and with Nathaniel Clyne a doubt, James Milner is in line to deputise at right-back, while Dejan Lovren is expected to partner Virgil van Dijk at the back.  

Indeed, it’s for this reason that two United defenders make this combined XI. Ashley Young (6.89) features at right-back in the side, while Chris Smalling (6.81) is alongside Van Dijk at the heart of the defence. Were Gomez and Alexander-Arnold both fit to play, then only two Manchester United players would have made this side given their superior WhoScored ratings compared to their United counterparts. 

The other two Manchester United players to make the cut are French pair Paul Pogba (7.04) and Anthony Martial (6.94). While it remains to be seen either will start, there’s no denying that the pair have thrived for Mourinho’s side this season, with a solid argument to be made that they have been United’s best players, even accounting for Pogba’s falling out with his manager.