We’ve delved into all of the stats using the Squawka Comparison Matrix to pick out a combined Liverpool and Manchester City XI ahead of the Premier League clash on Sunday.
Check the stats and see our eventual combined XI below. The players we’ve chosen to compare are a combination of the teams’ most-used XIs so far at this early stage of the season and predicted lineups for the match itself.
Goalkeeper: Alisson vs Gianluigi Donnarumma
A battle between two of the best goalkeepers in the world, and it’s pretty comfortably won by Alisson. The Brazilian is level with Gianluigi Donnarumma on saves made, averaging 2.8 per 90 minutes. But Alisson has a higher save percentage at 77.78% to the Italian’s 73.68%. And he has been the final line of a better defence, keeping 0.6 clean sheets and conceding 0.8 goals per 90. Donnarumma, meanwhile, has averaged 1.0 goals conceded per 90 with 0.4 clean sheets. Alisson is the better passer too, by some distance.
Winner: Alisson
Right-back: Ronald Araujo vs Matheus Nunes
Ronald Araujo has been playing out of position for Liverpool this season, slotting in at right-back. And he’s been outperforming Matheus Nunes, another who was initially moved out of his primary role. This is a close matchup, though. Araujo has averaged 1.58 tackles per 90 in the Premier League this season, compared to Nunes’ 1.27 per 90. But Nunes has won 70% of his ground duels, with Araujo’s success rate lower at 57.14%.
The two also offer different ways of getting the ball back. Nunes has averaged more interceptions per 90 (0.85 to 0.63), but Araujo leads for ball recoveries (4.74 per 90 to 4.23). When they have the ball, Araujo has been slightly more attacking too, with 18.63 forward passes per 90 to Nunes’ 17.75. And that’s what tips the battle in his favour.
Winner: Ronald Araujo
Centre-backs: Jeremy Jaquet vs Virgil van Dijk vs Ruben Dias vs Marc Guehi
Liverpool’s domination continues with both centre-backs getting into the team, forming a strong partnership. It’s led by Virgil van Dijk, still one of the best in the world in his position. And a fine tutor for Jeremy Jacquet. Van Dijk has been the no-nonsense centre-back of the Liverpool defence, averaging 7.0 clearances per 90 — which is why Jacquet’s number pales at 2.81. Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi share the responsibility for Man City, averaging 4.0 clearances per 90. The four are all pretty close for ball recoveries, with Jacquet coming out on top averaging 4.53 per 90 — ahead of Guehi’s 3.8 per 90.
Van Dijk and Jacquet work well in tandem when it comes to duels too. Jacquet has a 76.92% success rate in his aerial battles, the most in this matchup, just ahead of Guehi’s 76.47%. And Van Dijk wins on his ground duel success rate of 83.33%, again ahead of Guehi (76.47%). Van Dijk is also the biggest forward passer with 28.6 per 90, compared to Guehi’s 26.0 per 90. Dias (23.8) and Jacquet (21.58) cede control to their partners.
Winners: Jeremy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk
Left-back: Milos Kerkez vs Josko Gvardiol
Josko Gvardiol is the first Man City player to make the team, and he completes our defence ahead of Milos Kerkez. It’s a fairly clean win, too. Kerkez does win on forward passes, averaging 16.79 per 90, ahead of Gvardiol’s 14.28. But when it comes to the defensive side of things, Kerkez romps home. The Croatian averages 2.28 tackles made per 90, compared to Kerkez’s 1.87. He is also significantly better in his ground duels with a success rate of 70%. Kerkez has only won 45.45% of his ground duels.
Gvardiol is better at winning the ball back in other ways too. He has averaged 1.45 interceptions per 90 in the league this season, almost 1.0 more than Kerkez (0.47). The Man City man has also averaged just under double Kerkez’s ball recoveries, with 4.34 per 90 to 2.33.
Winner: Josko Gvardiol
Defensive midfielder: Alexis Mac Allister vs Elliot Anderson
Moving into the midfield, there’s another close battle between Alexis Mac Allister and Elliot Anderson. And while there is a winner, it isn’t a clear one. The pair share the honours for winning the ball back, and would make an ever better midfielder combined. Mac Allister has averaged 3.21 tackles per 90 in the league this season, more than Anderson’s 2.82. But Anderson has won more of his ground duels, at 65.91% to 58.62%.
They both offer something different in ways to win the ball back, too. Anderson has averaged 1.73 interceptions per 90, and 4.99 ball recoveries. Mac Allister, meanwhile, has averaged 0.58 interceptions per 90 and 5.55 ball recoveries. Anderson also just about edges the passing accuracy battle at 89.75% to 88.46%, which is what takes him over the line.
Winner: Elliot Anderson
Central midfielders: Dominik Szoboszlai vs Florian Wirtz vs Enzo Fernandez vs Rayan Cherki
Moving onto the more attack-focused midfielders, Dominik Szoboszlai wins an interesting battle with Enzo Fernandez. Many would have expected the Argentine to have won the battle, but it’s the opposite. He only comes out on top for take-ons completed at 0.66 per 90, to Szoboszlai’s 0.41. Szoboszlai, meanwhile, has averaged more shots on target and chances created at 1.02 and 2.24 per 90, respectively. Fernandez has averaged 0.66 shots on target and 1.32 chances created per 90.
This next battle depends on what you want. Florian Wirtz has the better defensive metrics, averaging 1.79 tackles per 90 and 5.58 ball recoveries. Rayan Cherki is yet to make a tackle and has only made 2.66 ball recoveries per 90. But the Man City man leads when it comes to attack. He has averaged 1.18 shots on target per 90 in the league, ahead of Wirtz’s 0.67. Cherki has also created 3.54 chances per 90 and completed 1.48 take-ons. Wirtz isn’t too far behind with his 1.34 take-ons completed per 90, but trails by more for his 2.01 chances created.
Winners: Dominik Szoboszlai and Rayan Cherki
Right winger: Cody Gakpo vs Iliman Ndiaye
There’s an interesting battle on the right wing, with two players offering different things. Cody Gakpo has been the better scorer, averaging 0.24 goals per 90, despite only averaging 0.24 shots on target. Iliman Ndiaye, meanwhile, has hit the target at an average of 0.70 per 90 but he’s yet to score. Gakpo is also more creative, with 2.67 chances created per 90 to Ndiaye’s 1.63.
But when on the ball, Ndiaye is tougher to stop. He has completed 2.09 take-ons per 90 in the league this season and won 2.33 fouls — when Ndiaye is stopped, it’s often illegally. Gakpo, meanwhile, has completed 1.46 take-ons per 90 and won 1.46 fouls, both still decent levels.
Winner: Iliman Ndiaye
Striker: Alexander Isak vs Erling Haaland
Alexander Isak has started the season well and may have a good campaign for Liverpool are his struggles in 2025/26. It means he’s put up a good battle against Erling Haaland in the striker matchup. But the Norwegian does still take the win. Haaland has scored an average of 1.0 goals per 90 in the league this season from 2.0 shots on target. Isak has scored his 0.87 goals from 1.52 on target per 90. And the Swede has the better conversion rate too, scoring with 26.67% of his shots.
Isak is also more involved with his teammates, creating 0.65 chances per 90. Haaland has averaged 0.2 chances created per 90, though that isn’t really important to either player’s role. Despite often appearing on the periphery in games, Haaland has still averaged more touches in the opposition box per 90 than Isak at 6.4 to 4.99. And that is what sees him take a tight battle.
Winner: Erling Haaland
Left winger: Bradley Barcola vs Antoine Semenyo
Antoine Semenyo completes the team with a clean sweep against Bradley Barcola, who is taking some time to find his feet in the Premier League. Semenyo has been a strong addition to Man City’s team in his first full season at the club. He has averaged 0.4 goals per 90 from 0.8 shots on target per 90. Barcola, on the other hand, is yet to score from his 0.53 shots on target per 90.
Semenyo is also almost twice as creative, with 2.0 chances created per 90 to Barcola’s 1.06. Neither player is too strong in take-ons, but Semenyo has still completed more per 90 at 0.8 to 0.53. And the Ghanaian has won more fouls too, with 1.2 per 90. Although Barcola is yet to win a foul in the Premier League.
Winner: Antoine Semenyo
