Pep Guardiola’s men dominate combined Manchester City-Liverpool XI determined by Dream Team points

DREAM TEAM managers will be rewarded for gritting their teeth through the international break with a Premier League clash between Manchester City and Liverpool this Saturday lunchtime.

What better way to preview this mouthwatering match-up between the top flight’s two best sides than a combined XI determined by Dream Team points?

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Goalkeeper: Alisson (£3.7m)

The Reds’ No1 has 64 points to his name after 12 Gameweeks, eight more than his compatriot at this stage.

This is notable because Ederson (£3.7m) is more than twice as popular as his fellow Brazilian, perhaps unjustly?

Alisson is Dream Team’s third-best custodian right now.

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m), Kyle Walker (£3.7m), Manuel Akanji (£4.4m)

Liverpool’s homegrown right-back is a reliable performer in the realm of Dream Team and while he’s yet to activate his superhuman mode this season, only Kieran Trippier (£5.4m) has provided more assists among defenders.

Alexander-Arnold has also contributed to five clean sheets and he’s also earned a respectable ten bonus points.

The England international has amassed 77 points in total at an average of 5.5 per game.

City defenders have under performed against expectations this season with no representative in the top ten currently – unusual for a team top of the Premier League and a 100% record in the Champions League.

Walker has 70 points while Akanji has reached 67 having scored in each of his last three appearances.

Guardiola’s rotation policy has somewhat limited the returns of his defenders but there’s no doubt the treble-winners have not kept as many clean sheets as they would have liked.

Midfielders: Phil Foden (£4.7m), Jeremy Doku (£4.2m), Rodri (£4m), Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.9m)

It’s an all-City podium in midfield led by Foden who is among a select quartet of players in his position to have celebrated a century of points in 2023/24.

Only three players have earned more bonus points than the England starlet, who has scored five goals and provided four assists in all competitions.

Doku is arguably the most-exciting asset in Dream Team right now with sky-high potential.

The tricky Belgian has raced to 86 points despite the fact he’s played less than half the minutes available to him – if Guardiola increases his playing time his returns will go through the roof.

Rodri is almost the polar opposite to his team-mate; he’s a consistent player who replicates almost the same excellent performance every week for a steady stream of points rather than a mismatch of blanks and double-digit hauls.

The classy Spaniard has produced 80 points to date.

Szoboszlai ensures some Merseyside representation in the middle of the park.

The Hungary captain has looked right at home at Anfield since his Liverpool debut, although his returns have dropped off a tad lately.

His tally of two goals and four assists only tells half the story as he’s contributed defensively as well as in possession – he’s earned 16 bonus points and has 80 in total.

Strikers: Erling Haaland (£7.7m), Mohamed Salah (£6.6m), Julian Alvarez (£4.3m)

Given that Haaland and Salah are Dream Team’s two top points scorers overall their presence in this XI virtually goes without saying.

The prolific Norwegian has racked up 164 points while Liverpool’s No11 has cruised to 132.

This top-tier pair have scored 29 goals between them already this season!

It was a close contest for the third spot in the forward line, with Alvarez edging out Darwin Nunez (£4.5m) by five points.

The World Cup winner is on 108 points to the Uruguayan’s 103, though the latter is marginally ahead in terms of goal involvements.

Both have scored seven goals but Nunez has eight assists to Alvarez’s seven and the duo are also level on 22 shots on target each – the only reason for the Argentine’s superiority is his tally of six bonus points.

From a Dream Team perspective, it’s seven Man City players to four Liverpool assets in this combined XI.

Does that give an indication of how Saturday’s fixture will play out? Only time will tell…

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk