Chelsea vs Manchester City — Combined XI | FA Cup 2020/21
Thomas Tuchel's high-flying Chelsea are set to host Premier League leaders Manchester City in an FA Cup semi-final fixture on Saturday evening.
The Blues have been sensational since Tuchel took over at the club, as they've lost just one game during his short tenure so far. Barring a freak result at Stamford Bridge when they lost 5-2 to West Brom, Chelsea have been a force to be reckoned with, particularly on the defensive front. Tuchel has done a remarkable job in the little time available to him since replacing Frank Lampard.
On the other hand, the visitors have arguably been the best team across the top five leagues in Europe this season. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have proved to be notoriously difficult to score against this year, and boast of one of the most free-scoring attacks in the world. City are currently on course to win their third Premier League title in four years under Pep Guardiola with a 11-point lead at the top.
Both Chelsea and Manchester City reached this stage of the competition last season and faced Manchester United and Arsenal respectively. While the Blues beat the Red Devils by a scoreline of 3-1, the Gunners got the better of the Cityzens and went on to win the competition.
Chelsea will also hope to make amends for a miserable result during their previous meeting this season, when the leaders blitzed the Blues with a breathtaking display at Stamford Bridge and won 3-1. As they gear up for the crucial semi-final clash, here is a look at the best combined XI between the two sides.
Note: Only players available for the game will be included in the XI.
Chelsea-Manchester City combined XI
Goalkeeper: Ederson Moraes
Manchester City star Ederson Moraes has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world since his arrival from SL Benfica. While he has been criticised for a few high-profile errors that have cost his side on a few occasions over the last couple of campaigns, the Brazilian appears to be back to his very best this year.
Ederson has had a relatively easy job in goal since Ruben Dias' arrival (more on him later) but he's been reliable whenever called upon to protect his side. The 27-year-old has saved 49 out of the 64 shots he's faced in the Premier League, with only two keepers bettering his save percentage of 76.6. He's managed 17 clean sheets in 31 league games.
Edouard Mendy has been in incredible form as well since arriving at Chelsea, but has been outshone by last year's Premier League Golden Glove winner. Ederson is currently having a phenomenal season for Manchester City. He's been as reliable as ever with the ball at his feet and even registered an assist against Tottenham Hotspur this season, along with more actions outside the penalty area than the Chelsea man.
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