REVEALED: Only two Manchester United players make Liverpool combined XI

Ahead of Sunday's highly anticipated clash between Manchester United and Liverpool on Sunday, we take a look through the best WhoScored rated combined XI. Injured and suspended players are not eligible for selection, while they must have made a minimum of three league appearances this season to be considered. We will also supply additional information about each player's Football INDEX share price if they are available on the platform.

Goalkeeper: Adrian (Liverpool) - 6.43 rating 

Football INDEX share price - N/A

Before the start of the season if you said neither David de Gea nor Alisson would be the goalkeeper in a combined XI between United and Liverpool then you'd rightly be laughed out of the room. While Adrian is not expected to play on Sunday, he gets into this team by default. Alisson is back from injury but has only made one appearance this season, while De Gea is ruled out after tweaking his groin on international duty with Spain. 

While Adrian's WhoScored rating does not suggest it, the former West Ham shot-stopper has performed better than expected when Alisson was first ruled out. There have been a few anxious moments, but Liverpool have a 100 per cent record in the league and Adrian has played his part in that.

Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - 7.38 rating 

Football INDEX share price - £4.09

Trent Alexander-Arnold was surprisingly an unused substitute in both of England's fixtures over the international break despite being considered the best right-back in the world by many. The 20-year-old has picked up from where he left off last season and has one goal and two assists in eight league appearances so far this season. Furthermore, Alexander-Arnold has registered the most key passes of all defenders in the Premier League this season (28). 

Centre-back: Joel Matip (Liverpool) - 7.62 rating

Football INDEX share price - £0.61 

Joel Matip has been in sensational form for Liverpool in 2019 and is arguably outperforming his defensive partner, Virgil van Dijk, this season. Matip is currently in the WhoScored Team of the Season in Europe's top five leagues and has left Joe Gomez with a mountain to climb to get back in the starting XI. Matip was considered an injury doubt heading into Sunday's match but returned to training at the start of the week to give Jurgen Klopp's side a boost. Matip has scored once in six league appearances this season, while only Sebastien Haller (7.1) is averaging more aerial duels won per game than Matip (6) in the division.

Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) - 7.39 rating

Football INDEX share price - £2.63

Virgil van Dijk hasn't quite found the level he reached last season, illustrated by the fact he has already been dribbled past on two occasions in eight league games this season after not being dribbled past once in 38 games in 2018/19. It shows just how well Van Dijk was playing last season that his performances have still been first class this term. Only Sebastien Haller (51) has won more aerial duels than Van Dijk (46) in the Premier League this season, while Liverpool have the best defensive record in the league (six goals conceded). 

Left-back: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) - 7.20 rating

Football INDEX share price - £1.55

Andrew Robertson concludes a complete shut out in defence of Liverpool players and it's difficult to argue against that. Robertson, like Alexander-Arnold on the opposite side, has developed into one of the elite players in his position in the last 12 months. The Scotland international has two assists to his name in eight league appearances this season and was the WhoScored Man of the Match in their 2-1 win away to Chelsea in September.

Right wing: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 7.38 rating

Football INDEX share price - £4.44

Mohamed Salah has been put on a special training regime ahead of Sunday's game to ensure the Egypt international is fit enough to start at Old Trafford and it's obvious why Jurgen Klopp is so desperate to have him available. Salah has played a direct hand in seven goals in eight league games this season (four goals, three assists). Importantly, Salah has been decisive in the big games. He has scored or assisted three goals in matches against Chelsea and Arsenal already this season and is expected to be in the thick of the action here. 

Central midfield: Scott McTominay (Manchester United) - 7.13 rating

Football INDEX share price - £1.26

There have been few positives to United's season but Scott McTominay's development has been a major plus point for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Scotland international may provide the thrills United fans are craving but he certainly makes his presence felt in midfield. Paul Pogba could learn a thing or two from McTominay in that respect and not many would have foreseen that at the start of the campaign. McTominay scored a wonderful first ever Premier League goal in their draw with Arsenal, while only three players have been fouled more times in the division than the 22-year-old (22). McTominay is one of the most improved players in the Premier League in terms of WhoScored rating increase from last season to this.

Central midfield: Fabinho (Liverpool) - 7.03 rating 

Football INDEX share price - £0.63

Fabinho endured a difficult start to life at Liverpool last season but those initial concerns about his suitability seem a long, long time ago. The Brazilian has quietly established himself into one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League and is arguably the only guarenteed starter in Liverpool's midfield. The 25-year-old ranks in the top-10 in the Premeir League for most possession won in the midfield third this season (37). 

Left wing: Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - 7.53 rating

Football INDEX share price - £2.99 

Sadio Mane hasn't quite been at his devastating best in front of goal in recent weeks but the Senegal international still has five goals and one assist in seven league appearances for Liverpool this season. Once linked with a move to United, Mane's goals and assists have been worth an additional seven points to Liverpool this season. They head into the weekend's action eight points ahead of Manchester City.

Striker: Anthony Martial (Manchester United) - 7.52 rating 

Football INDEX share price - £2.93

While United have lost De Gea and Pogba to injury, Solskjaer can at least welcome back Anthony Martial this weekend and the Frenchman has been sorely missed during his time out injured. Martial made a fantastic start to the season with two goals and one assist in three league appearances but he hasn't featured since the end of August. Since Solskjaer took charge of United, the Red Devils have a 75% win ratio in the league when Martial has started compared to a win rate of just 29.4% when he hasn't featured from the off. 

Striker: Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) - 7.66 rating

Football INDEX share price - £2.10 

Mohamed Salah was the star of Liverpool's attack in 2017/18 and then Sadio Mane emerged as their match winner last season, while Roberto Firmino has proved extremely decisive for Klopp's side so far this term. Firmino has scored three goals and assisted three times in eight league appearances this season. When he is not on the pitch it is perhaps more noticeable than any other player, as he really connects the whole team with how he leads the line.

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