Guardiola's side lock out the midfield, but does van Dijk make Sportsmail's Man City-Liverpool XI?

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Manchester City host Liverpool on Saturday in a mouthwatering lunch with serious consequences at the top of the table. Pep Guardiola's team need every point they can get to overhaul Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. But with the club chasing three trophies and a possible question mark after Erling Haaland's departure from the Norwegian squad, there's no guarantee of that. Meanwhile, Liverpool only has the league focus on and Jurgen Klopp will be desperate see his team score three points in the Etihad boost their hopes for a top four despite a turbulent campaign date. When the Premier League's last five championship seasons come together, there are plenty of great players to choose from, with so much top talent on display for both sides, and if you put both northwest sides together, you can create a dream team. But who cuts to make Sportsmail's combined Man City and Liverpool XI? Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool head to Pep Guardiola's Man City for a mouthwatering Erling Haaland may be fit to play, but Andrew Robertson's job is to keep him out. Goalkeeper - Alisson In the midst of Liverpool's tough season so far, Alisson has proven to be one of Klopp's most talented players. The 30-year-old Brazilian shared the Golden Glove award last season and hasn't conceded 10 goals this term, most recently in their 7-0 drub against Man United. Alisson is very close to the goalkeeper role for the united side. Countryman Ederson has been great for the home team by sharing the Golden Gloves with Alisson in 2021-22 and also has not conceded 10 goals this season. But Alisson has been endorsed for the Brazilian national team, and Sportsmail agrees. Right-back - Kyle Walker Kyle Walker is reliable for club and country. The 32-year-old been part of Man City team that has won the Premier League several times and been a key part of keeping opponent at bay during critical times. He also maintained his position on the changing English side under Gareth Southgate. It's a tough break for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has struggled to take a break this season. Undoubtedly a top talent, he doesn't fit Walker's consistency at the moment, which is why he was named Man City man. Centre-Back - John Stones Alongside Walker on the defensive, John Stones has been an integral part of Manchester City's star run and also key to Southgate's England plans. He has appeared in 15 Premier League matches so far and has helped them stay on top of the table right after Arsenal. The 28-year-old Barnsley-born defender looks set to be at the center of Man City's future cup races, including Saturday's match at Etihad and their Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern Munich in a few weeks. . Alisson was selected as the goalkeeper for Sportsmail's mixed 11 despite Ederson's abilities Manchester City's Ruben Dias and John Stones' defender match cannot be split Centre-Back - Ruben Dias You can't break up a good partnership, and Sportsmail admits they need Ruben Dias alongside the Stones. The Portuguese centre-back works effortlessly alongside his teammate and this has helped build a strong Man City defense, allowing their tough front to flourish. While Dias and Stones were a little more comfortable in their centre-back roles, Liverpool's back line had a rough time. Klopp switches sides to find out which combination works and they always leak goals. Not long ago, Virgil Van Dijk could be a candidate for one of these places. Not anymore. Left-back - Andrew Robertson Andrew Robertson is one of the few bright lights Klopp has at his disposal in the Liverpool defence. He is captain of a Scotland team that shocked world with a convincing win over Spain in middle of week and is important on left for Reds. The 29-year-old is considered one the best fullbacks the world for his physical strength and vision, and his performance 23 Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season put him ahead of Nathan Ake this role a total 11 games. . Midfielder - Rodri Rodri, 26, is a central figure for the Man City squad and also ranks in the combined 11th. The Spanish midfielder has been crucial to Guardiola since leaving Atletico Madrid in 2019 and has also scored twice this season. While Robertson's team is outraged by Scotland's playstyle in the middle of the week as they beat Spain at Hampden Park, there are no such concerns at club level and will cause a series of problems to Liverpool on Saturday. Midfielder - Kevin De Bruyne What else is there to say about Kevin De Bruyne? The Belgian midfielder is the Premier League's highest-paid player according to L'Equipe, and it's hard to argue with his high salary when he showcases his performances for Manchester City. While James Milner, Fabinho and Cody Gakpo are on the lookout for combined teams with just about every club, the Liverpool men are stunn