Meetings between Liverpool and Manchester City are as good as it gets in the Premier League right now.

The last two title winners are a level above the rest in English football, boasting two world-class managers in Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola and a pair of squads laden with not only top-drawer talent but also fantastic depth.

Accordingly, their clash at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday looks set to be a thrilling encounter that will have a significant say on the Premier League table come the end of the season.

So, which team will come out on top this weekend? Perhaps an exercise in combining the best players from both teams will give us an insight into which one truly possesses the superior quality, and therefore has the greater chance of victory.

Goalkeeper - Ederson

Two Brazilian goalkeepers capable of world-class saves and renowned for their impeccable distribution, there’s almost nothing to choose between Alisson and Ederson.

Some say the former is the more well-rounded and composed goalkeeper, but so far this season his Manchester City counterpart has made more saves - albeit from an extra appearance - and produced a better percentage for saves from shots faced by a margin of 14%. (

It’s for that reason we’re giving Ederson the nod.

Right-Back - Trent Alexander-Arnold

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a right-back superior to Kyle Walker but Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the few who arguably belong in that category.

While we’re yet to see the England international hit top gear this season, his exploits from last term still can’t be overlooked - four goals and 13 assists in the Premier League speaks for itself. 

Alexander-Arnold is the top set piece taker in the world right now, and that quality from dead ball situations will give an extra dimension to our combined XI.

Right Centre-Back - Ruben Dias

While it would be premature to argue Ruben Dias has already justified his lofty price-tag, the early signs are certainly encouraging.

The 23-year-old looks like a real leader at the heart of defence and with averages of 2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 5.5 clearances and 2.5 successful aerials per match, he’s added much-needed steeliness to City’s backline. 

The Portuguese is pretty handy on the ball as well, boasting a pass completion rate of 91.5%, and his all-round quality suggests Guardiola has made a wise investment.

Left Centre-Back - Virgil van Dijk

He may be sidelined for the rest of the season, but Virgil van Dijk is without doubt one of the best centre-halves in the world.

Few central defenders offer his mixture of aerial dominance, positioning, composure and ball-playing quality, but perhaps what makes van Dijk so unique - and so important to how Liverpool set up their defence - is his comfort in one-on-one situations.

He’s a natural leader and with Dias alongside, this combined XI boasts an incredibly talented, physical and authoritative central pairing.

Unfortunately, that does mean no place for Aymeric Laporte - a Team of the Year member the last time City won the title, and a top-level ball-playing centre-half.

Left-Back - Andrew Robertson

Whereas Walker may feel somewhat aggrieved to have missed out to Alexander-Arnold, City’s cabal of unconvincing No.3s can’t have any complaints.

Benjamin Mendy’s City career has been riddled with injury problems, Oleksandr Zinchenko is effectively a No.10 who plays at left-back and while Joao Cancelo has made some great contributions offensively this season - he’s averaged three key passes per match  - the Portuguese simply isn’t a natural defender, or for that matter a naturally left-sided player.

Andrew Robertson, on the other hand, is a perfect mix of tough tackles, dynamic energy and attacking flair. Despite Liverpool struggling to hit top gear this season, he’s already notched up one goal and two assists. 

Defensive Midfield - Fabinho

Liverpool and Manchester City both offer a wealth of options for the base of the engine room, not least including one of the modern archetypes for the position in veteran Fernandinho.

Rodri tends to take precedence over the 35-year-old these days but we’re actually giving the nod to Fernandinho’s countryman, Fabinho.

The Liverpool man is so reliable defensively that he’s helped cover at centre-half in van Dijk’s absence but he’s also a very progressive passer when in possession, and that combination provides a platform for Liverpool’s more attacking players to thrive.

Right Central Midfield - Kevin De Bruyne

The first name on the team sheet, Kevin De Bruyne is the top creative talent in the Premier League.

Even during what has been a quiet start to the campaign by his usual standards, partly due to injury, the Belgian maestro has still produced one goal and two assists, while averaging a whopping 3.6 key passes per match - the highest rate of any Premier League player. 

We could spend more time delving into what makes De Bruyne so special, but surely nobody would dispute his place in this combined XI.

Left Central Midfield - Phil Foden

A number of players within both camps will likely take some issue with this selection.

Jordan Henderson is Liverpool’s captain and one of their most consistent players, Ilkay Gundogan is a class act who has scored twice in the Champions League this season, Bernardo Silva’s a real force when at the top of his game and former Bayern Munich playmaker Thiago represents an impressive addition to Liverpool’s squad.

But Phil Foden does indeed look like a superstar in the making and this combined XI wants an element of longevity about it. The 20-year-old already has 18 goals and 14 assists for City - including two Premier League goals this season - and while he’s been jostled around the starting XI, he seems destined to eventually end up playing as a roaming No.8 in typical Guardiola style.

Right Wing - Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah is nothing if not a relentless goal machine. He already boasts 103 goals for Liverpool and with 42 assists as well, he’s averaged almost one goal contribution per game since moving to Anfield in 2017. 

Even with Liverpool still not quite being at their best so far in 2020/21, the Egyptian king has netted seven times in as many Premier League appearances, making him the top-scoring player across both clubs.

Left Wing - Sadio Mane

It speaks volumes that in the only Premier League game Sadio Mane has missed so far this season, Liverpool were hammered 7-2 by Aston Villa. 

While that might be overstating Mane’s influence, it does nonetheless highlight his importance not only as an attacking player for Liverpool, but also through how his high-pressing style makes them so much more solid defensively too.

It’s been a typically productive start to the new season for the former Southampton man, bagging four goals and one assist in six Premier League outings. 

Striker - Raheem Sterling

It may seem like a bit of a cop-out to move Sterling into a less preferred position, but did we really have a choice?

Roberto Firmino has scored just once this season and Diogo Jota’s impressed but isn’t a natural striker either, while Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero have spent most of the campaign out injured.

And while Sterling may lack the necessary composure in front of goal to be considered a long-term option up front, he’s certainly got the quality and intelligence to do a good job for this combined XI, by continually bringing Salah and Mane into the game.

Result

So, who comes out on top? Well, Liverpool just about edge our combined XI by a single player. Whereas Manchester City dominated the midfield, it was the Reds who were most present across the backline and up front.

With so little to choose between both teams, Sunday's game could well be decided by that extra dose of Liverpool quality at either end of the pitch.