Combined XI: Manchester City vs. Arsenal

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 15 June 2020

Ahead of Wednesday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal, Sports Mole selects its strongest combined XI from the two squads.

After a three-month absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Premier League finally gets back underway on Wednesday night as the four teams with games in hand play their 29th fixture.

Shortly after Aston Villa have squared off against Sheffield United in the West Midlands, Manchester City and Arsenal will go head to head at the Etihad Stadium.

The contest had initially been scheduled to take place in the middle of March, only for the fixture to be postponed in the days before the sport was locked down in the majority of European football's leading nations.

While the global crisis will have long-standing effects on football, and society in general, both City and Arsenal have at least been able to make progress with players who have been regulars in the treatment room.

Here, Sports Mole selects its strongest combined XI from the two squads, using only players available for the midweek contest.

Although Bernd Leno has one of the best shot-stopping ratios in the division, Ederson gets the nod between the sticks, despite enduring arguably his poorest campaign since his arrival at City.

At right-back, Hector Bellerin and Joao Cancelo are strong contenders to Kyle Walker, but a less-productive campaign has not stopped the England international being selected alongside two more of his City teammates.

While Arsenal have some big names in the middle of their backline, Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte complement each other well and should prove to be an effective partnership now that the latter has recovered from a knee injury.

However, Arsenal finally get representation in this lineup at left-back now that summer arrival Kieran Tierney has recovered from a shoulder injury, seeing him edge out Bukayo Saka.

With Lucas Torreira still recovering from an ankle injury, we must go with a three-man City combination in the middle of the pitch, with Rodri taking on a strictly defensive role.

Ilkay Gundogan will act as the link between the backline and attack, allowing Kevin De Bruyne more freedom to influence the game going forward.

We are spoiled for choice with regards to our options in the final third, with Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus and Nicolas Pepe among those unfortunate to miss out.

However, the inclusion of Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sergio Aguero are no-brainers.

Although Sterling and Aubameyang only have two assists between them in the Premier League this season, returning a total of 28 goals means that no other players were in contention to provide the service for Aguero.