Merseyside Combined Eleven (With a Twist)

A Merseyside combined eleven would obviously have about 9 or 10 Liverpool players with maybe 1 or 2 from Everton, so I decided to change up the rules. Neither club can have more than 6 players, meaning I will have to make the best team with only 6 Liverpudlians and 5 Evertonians. Please leave your thoughts below, but here is my best eleven.




Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

While Pickford had a fairly good Euros, the consistency and brilliance of one of the world's three best keepers could simply not be left out. While he was rotated during the Euros, he is still Brazil and the Premier League's best goalkeeper despite Liverpool's recent underwhelming campaign. Alisson becomes the first player in this team.


Left Back: Lucas Digne 
While Robertson is obviously the better of the left back options, Digne is among Everton's best three players in my opinion, and I'm not sure Robbo even makes Liverpool's top 6. My choice here is therefore the France international, because my rules and criteria demands it. Digne is just as strong defensively, and is not at all shabby on the attack.


Center Back: Virgil van Dijk 
The first name on the team sheet. I, as a Liverpool fan, am hugely excited about the signing of Ibrahima Konaté, but there is no way he is here to threaten van Dijk. Never having been a fan of Gomez, I hope he takes the position of the England international and learns a lot alongside VVD. 


Center Back: Michael Keane 
Liverpool don't really have such a good second center-back option, so I really had to pick someone from Everton. My options were Keane, Mina, Godfrey or Holgate, and while I really do rate Mina and have seen massive improvements from Godfrey, I think Keane is ultimately Everton's best, so he starts.


Right Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold 
While Robbo didn't make it due to Everton's brilliant left back, it is no secret that right back is one of Everton's weaker positions, with Holgate and Coleman not being anywhere near Trent. So we round of the backline with arguably the best current footballer who was actually born in Merseyside.


CM: Allan 
Everton need some more representatives, and Allan provides. He is a player who would potentially threaten to start if at Liverpool despite playing in a similar position to Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson. Also, as a message to the Liverpool authorities, please sign a half-decent attacking midfielder, because our best three midfielders all play as DMs or CMs. 


CM: Jordan Henderson (cpt.)  
I have no doubts that Fabinho is a more talented player than Henderson. However, the more advanced role paired with him playing beside a defensively-strong Allan mean that the position is more suited to Henderson. Also, this team needs a captain and you can't really get too much better than Henderson in that regard.


CAM: James Rodriguez 
While he will be positioned slightly behind the front 3, Rodriguez will still be a primary source of goal contributions. He is the only Evertonian who is the best player in Merseyside on their respective positions, with Liverpool not really having a proper number 10. Pretty easy pick, especially with the given criteria.


LW: Sadio Mané 
There was really no-one challenging him. Everton's two best forwards both play in the center, so despite a slight drop-off in form Mané had to start. This leaves us with one more player from each club to pick. Who will make it in?


Center Forward: Richarlison 
The player wide on the right had to be from Liverpool, so Everton's two brilliant front-men had to battle it out. I chose Richarlison because of two things: experience and consistency, along with how this team will score. This team will likely be splitting defences via Salah and Mané cutting in and Rodriguez passing through, especially on the counter-attack, meaning Richarlison's skill with the feet is more important than Calvert-Lewin's heading abilities.


Right Wing: Mohamed Salah 
Again, there was really only one option on the right. Salah is the current holder of Liverpool's Player of the Season award. He will often cut in as Alexander-Arnold comes down the right, meaning his goal-scoring abilities will be put to perfect use.


What do you guys think? Using my criteria, put your elevens down in the comments below. Please remember to follow me on social media to keep up to date on when I post and, as always, I will see you guys when next I post, which is probably going to be tomorrow. Noah (ᴗ ͜ʖ ᴗ)

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