Paul Merson is being generous towards Manchester United these days which is telling given he was so sceptical about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a couple of promising results. But now, rolling into the United vs Liverpool game on Sunday, he considers the sides almost equal despite a 14-point gap.
He chose his combined XI on Sky Sports: ”Just picking from the players that are available on Sunday, I’d go De Gea in goal, although I do like Alisson. Then I’d go Luke Shaw at left-back. Right-back would be Trent Alexander-Arnold and centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip, who is probably better over a distance than Victor Lindelof, who I think has turned a corner.
”Midfield would be Pogba and Wijnaldum. Then a front three of Mohamed Salah, Rashford and Sadio Mane, with Roberto Firmino just behind.”
This is a bit more than what his colleagues picked. Former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson would only take De Gea, Pogba, and Rashford from United. The ex-Gunner Charlie Nicholas would need Matic, as well as Pogba and De Gea in his combined XI. Matt Le Tissier goes for De Gea, Pogba, and Rashford.
Bias aside, what players from Liverpool would you welcome at United?