Ederson OUT but Foden IN: Man City and Liverpool combined XI ahead of title showdown

It has been billed as Manchester City’s brilliant midfield against Liverpool’s world-class attack … but whichever way you look at it, Sunday’s Premier League title crunch is a showdown between perhaps the two best teams on the planet right now. That is a rarity in English football history, that we should play host to the two best sides, a claim which was reinforced by the breathless, high-end 2-2 draw between them at Anfield in October.

The problems begin when you get asked to pick a strongest combined XI from the two modern-day rivals from either end of the East Lancashire Road. The players who you could not even squeeze onto the bench, even in an age of nine substitutes, is almost scandalous.

But here goes - and if you disagree with the selection, you are not alone - I changed my mind three or four times and still have doubts over some positions.

GOALKEEPER

A dilemma that Brazil coach Tite faces every time he gets his squad together. Whether to go with Alisson’s better shot-stopping skills or Ederson’s phenomenal ability with his feet that virtually makes him an 11th outfield player as well as a very competent keeper. This decision would be based solely on the combined team’s tactical approach - Pep Guardiola would pick Ederson, and Jurgen Klopp Alisson, and both would be right. To boil it down to a keeper’s basic job, for the sake of argument, we will take Tite’s word for it and go with Alisson.

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RIGHT BACK

Again, one that must give Gareth Southgate headaches. Kyle Walker’s pace, and his technical ability, is a huge asset for City in defence and attack, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has one of the sweetest right feet in world football and is getting better. Both have