Combined XI: Chelsea vs Liverpool Starting XI

Combined XI: Chelsea vs Liverpool Starting Lineup

Chelsea vs Liverpool best combined starting XI? Reds travel to Stamford Bridge on Friday. Chelsea will host Liverpool on Friday night in a huge early-season Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge. We will take a look at the best combined Chelsea vs Liverpool Starting Lineup.

Jurgen Klopp got his first win in the Premier League in this fixture last year, but Chelsea look like a reborn side under Antonio Conte, and we all expect a much tighter result tomorrow.

Sillyseason have produced their own match preview, containing team news and predictions, which you can read here.

Both teams will field strong lineups, but if we were to combine the two, who would make the side? Some choices are obvious, but some…not so much.

So take a look at Sillyseason’s Chelsea vs Liverpool combined starting XI in a 4-3-3 formation, let us know if you agree!

GK) Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea

This one is pretty straight-forward. We haven’t seen enough of Liverpool’s new goalkeeper, Loris Karius, to include him in this decision yet, and we’ve seen PLENTY of Simon Mignolet to know that Courtois is better. Courtois makes the team.

RB) Branislav Ivanovic – Chelsea

It’s tight between Ivanovic and Clyne, with both players having fantastic defensive qualities. Ivanovic’s experience is what takes this one, despite Clyne’s excellent qualities going forward. Ivanovic is probably the top right-back in the league, so he has to make this team.

CB) Joel Matip – Liverpool

A solid new summer signing for Liverpool. He looks very confident on the ball and is a very natural defender. On a free, he’s looking like a steal for Liverpool so far. He makes it ahead of David Luiz, who has never been the greatest defender.

CB) Gary Cahill – Chelsea

Cahill is a fantastic defender and a solid choice at centre-back. He’s a well established England international who makes a fantastic contribution to his team, a very reliable and consistent player.

LB) Cesar Azpilicueta – Chelsea

Well, let’s be honest with ourselves, it was never going to be Moreno was it? Milner has been doing a good job for Liverpool in the weak left-back spot, but Azpilicueta is the obvious choice for me, the best left-back in the league in my opinion.

CDM) N’Golo Kante – Chelsea

We all know why he’s included, he’s just such a hard worker and fantastic tackler. He never stops running and was a major factor in Leicester City’s amazing title triumph last season, and he’s had a good start to his Chelsea career too after his big money move in the summer to Stamford Bridge.

CM) Phillipe Coutinho – Liverpool

A world-class player who put on an incredible performance in this fixture last year. He can produce anything out of nothing, and score outstanding goals. He should start in my opinion tomorrow night, and he’ll cause Chelsea problems if he does.

CM) Adam Lallana – Liverpool

He’s had his fair share of criticism in recent seasons, but he’s been reborn in the last 12 months under Jurgen Klopp and he’s had a blistering start to the season. Lallana is starting to add goals to his already impressive high-pressing abilities, and once he does that more consistently, he has the ability to be world class.

LW) Eden Hazard – Chelsea

He’s a player reborn this season, after a dismal campaign last year. He picked up form slightly after Mourinho was gone, but Antonio Conte has done will to work with him and he’s made a fantastic start to this season. He’s a real dangerman, and he could be star man against Liverpool.

ST) Diego Costa – Chelsea

A world-class talent, but also a liability. He’s far too easy to wind up and even though Jurgen Klopp insists that Liverpool won’t be trying to wind him up, there’s no winning with this guy. Aside from his aggressive antics however, he’s a deadly striker and Liverpool’s centre-backs will have their hands full all game tomorrow, Costa won’t leave them alone.

RW) Sadio Mane – Liverpool

Mane has had a blistering start to his Liverpool career, and he shows no sign of stopping. His pace is almost unstoppable and he’ll really push Azpilicueta to his limit at left-back tomorrow. Mane is a defender’s absolute nightmare, but we’ll see how Chelsea’s defence approaches him tomorrow night.

By Ben Kelly – @benkelly_10