Who'd be in a combined Man City / Man United team?
There's no love lost between Manchester United and Manchester City, who have been battling for local bragging rights ever since their first meeting in 1891. The derby has taken on even greater significance in recent years, though, with City's Abu Dhabian takeover in 2008 allowing them to compete with United on an equal footing.
Even as recently as 10 years ago, this combined XI would probably have been made up exclusively of United players. That's no longer the case - but exactly how many Citizens make the cut?
GK: David de Gea (Man United)
De Gea produced one of the Premier League’s best ever goalkeeping displays when he made 14 saves in 90 minutes – a record-equalling feat – to help United win at Arsenal in December. There arguably isn’t a custodian who can match the Spaniard for shot-stopping ability, which is why he earns the No.1 jersey here.
Ederson has enjoyed a fantastic start to his City career and looks to be the ideal goalkeeper for a Pep Guardiola side: fast, aggressive and comfortable with the ball at his feet. He’s not yet done enough to overtake De Gea in the Premier League pecking order, however. (After all: Who has?)
RB: Antonio Valencia (Man United)
City right-back Kyle Walker has done plenty to prove the doubters wrong following his £50m move to the Etihad in the summer, but the Englishman finds himself playing second fiddle to United’s Ecuadorian in our Manchester mash-up.
Valencia has been a mainstay in Jose Mourinho’s side this season, looking typically solid defensively and also providing attacking thrust down the flank. The former Wigan man scored a stunning goal against Everton earlier in the 2017/18 campaign and also opened the scoring in United’s defeat of Arsenal at the Emirates.
CB: Nicolas Otamendi (Man City)
It’s fair to say Otamendi would have been nowhere near this line-up in his debut season in English football, but the Argentinian has made great strides since he first arrived at City in 2015. The ex-Valencia stopper is increasingly better at reading the game and sniffing out danger, while he’s also improved with the ball at his feet under Pep Guardiola.
Otamendi has been contributing at the other end of the field, too: he’s scored four goals in City’s first 19 games in all competitions in 2017/18.
CB: Eric Bailly (Man United)
Strong, combative and not one for nonsense, Bailly has established himself as a pivotal figure in the United backline since joining the club in summer 2016. The Ivorian’s speed and athleticism makes him a difficult opponent for strikers, while he’s also intelligent in terms of his positioning.
Much like team-mate Phil Jones – a strong contender for this team, at least on recent form – Bailly has been unfortunate with injuries throughout his time at Old Trafford. Although Bailly is currently sidelined with a groin strain, Jose Mourinho will be keen to have him back as soon as possible.
LB: Benjamin Mendy (Man City)
Mendy is fast becoming a cult hero at City, largely for his antics on social media. He’s first and foremost a brilliant footballer, though, even if the Frenchman was only able to strut his stuff for five games before sustaining a serious knee injury in September.
Fabian Delph has deputised competently in his place, interpreting the role differently to Mendy but nevertheless impressing; over at Old Trafford, meanwhile, Ashley Young has similarly been converted into a left-back by Jose Mourinho. Yet given that neither Englishman is a natural, Mendy takes the spot in this team pretty comfortably.
CM: Fernandinho (Man City)
Fernandinho will never generate headlines to the same extent as David Silva or Kevin De Bruyne - unless for some reason he goes rogue and leads a military coup - but he’s an equally integral part of Pep Guardiola’s midfield. Sitting deeper than the aforementioned playmakers and tasked with protecting the back four, the Brazilian is also tidy in possession and capable of driving forward with the ball at his feet.
Nemanja Matic has proved an excellent signing for United, and he too does many of the things which make Fernandinho such an important player for the Red Devils’ cross-town rivals. But it’s the City man’s superior mobility which earns him the holding midfield spot in this side.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
The first name on the team sheet - just as he probably is for Pep Guardiola. De Bruyne has been the Premier League’s outstanding player so far in 2017/18, and it could even be argued that Lionel Messi is the only one to have outshone the Belgian throughout Europe. Eleven assists and five goals for City show his worth, but mere statistics don’t do justice to the former Chelsea man’s influence at the Etihad.
Possessing a brilliant range of passing, an eye for goal and boundless energy, De Bruyne is capable of making the spectacular look routine.
CM: Paul Pogba (Man United)
Pogba was under pressure to deliver in 2016/17 following his then-world record transfer to United the previous summer, but it’s only this season that the midfielder has begun to show why the Red Devils paid such a big fee for a player who’d been on their books a few years previously.
After a dazzling start to the campaign, Pogba proved a sorely missed presence in the engine room when he was sidelined for 12 games between September and November. A wonderfully creative presence who sets up chances for team-mates for fun, the France international has become United’s talisman.
RW: David Silva (Man City)
Silva has been playing in a central role for City this season, teaming up with Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho to form a fearsome midfield trio. He’s spent much of his Premier League career further forward, however, and the need to include Paul Pogba means we’ve pushed him out to the right in this team.
Not that he’d stay there; Silva’s elusive moment and intelligent football brain means he’s constantly on the lookout for gaps in the opposition’s setup, ready to pounce whenever he’s afforded too much space. Few can run a game quite like Manchester City’s magician, who is undoubtedly one of the greatest players the Premier League has seen.
ST: Gabriel Jesus (Man City)
If you want to take the place of a bona fide legend who holds your club’s all-time goalscoring record, you better be good – and Jesus is that and more. The Brazilian has adjusted to life in the Premier League with ease, shining both alongside and in place of Sergio Aguero, with Pep Guardiola currently able to call upon two fantastic frontmen.
On the occasions when the City boss opts for only one striker, Jesus’ superior link-up play gives him the edge on Aguero. He also holds an advantage over Romelu Lukaku, whose scoring record against the big clubs is often held up as a weakness; Jesus, by contrast, netted against Napoli, Arsenal, Liverpool in the first three months of 2017/18 alone.
LW: Leroy Sane (Man City)
There can’t be many more frightening sights for a full-back than glancing up and seeing the blistering Sane running towards you.
Yet while speed is Sane’s standout quality, his most important attribute is a consistent end product. The Germany international hits the ball sweetly and has struck several brilliant goals for City, while he’s also adept at picking out team-mates in goalscoring positions. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are similarly gifted youngsters, but Sane gets the nod here.
Players per club: Man United 4, Man City 7
