Man Utd vs Arsenal combined XI: Auba partners Pepe, James & Maguire in

Arguably the greatest rivalry of the Premier League era, Manchester United and Arsenal were the dominant forces in English football for much of the nineties and early 2000s. 

The two grand old clubs have fallen somewhat since the days when they would regularly compete for the title, with both undergoing periods of transition following the ending of respective dynasties under Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

So Monday night will see the two rivals do battle once more, but Lacazette will be out of action until at least October with an ankle injury, Anthony Martial & Rashford will miss the game due to injury. 

Ahead of the clash, we've compiled the best players from both sides to make an ultimate combined XI. This Xl is only selected from those players who are fit for this upcoming clash.

A side that would once contain the likes of Thierry Henry, Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira looks a little different now…

Goalkeeper

David de Gea (GK)

De Gea’s status as the Premier League’s finest shot-stopper may be more debatable than it once was, the Spaniard uncharacteristically making more errors over the past year than previously seen in his eight seasons in English football.

He recently signed a new contract which will keep him at Manchester United at least until 2023.

Defenders

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (RB)

Arguably the best defensive full-back in top-flight English football, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is one of the few players who impressed for Manchester United this season.

He moved to Old Trafford just a few months ago, but immediately managed to establish himself as the first-choice right-back in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

Harry Maguire (CD)

Harry Maguire also strengthen the Red Devils’ defense this summer, joining from Leicester City in a world-record £80 million transfer deal for a defender.

He is one of the best central defenders in the Premier League, so his place in our Combined XI was an obvious choice.

Victor Lindelof (CD)

Probably “the best of the rest” Victor Lindelof is still an average defensive player, with potential to become much better in the coming years.

However, he is less prone to mistakes from any of Arsenal’s defenders and that’s why we decided to pick him for the second CD spot in our team.

Sead Kolasinac (LB)

Similarly to the second CD position, none of Manchester United and Arsenal’s left-backs is a world-class football player.

We decided to go with Sean Kolasinac though, who is the most complete full-back of both squads, as he can show good performances in both ways – attack and defense.

Midfielders

Paul Pogba (CM)

Even though Paul Pobga is often criticized for his nonchalant behavior on the field and he obviously has consistency problems, the Frenchman is a world-class midfielder who can change the course of a game with only one move.

He is now returning from injury and the game vs Arsenal could be a perfect chance to show the world what had Manchester Untied been missing in the past two Premier League rounds.

Dani Ceballos (CM)

Dani Ceballos joined Arsenal from Real Madrid on a one-year loan deal this summer, but has already impressed for the Gunners noting two assists in six Premier League appearances.

He is a technically gifted playmaker who possesses excellent skills with the ball and a top passing-range.

Matteo Guendouzi (CM)

His goading of Watford fans prior to the club’s recent capitulation at Vicarage Road may have been ill-advised, but there has been no doubt that the youngster has made an impressive impact since moving to the Emirates last season.

Forwards

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (CF)

Last year’s Golden Boot winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the right path of repeating the achievement, having found the net six times in six league appearances.

He failed to score only in the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool in the third round.

Nicolas Pepe (CF)

After a standout season in Ligue 1, Nicolas Pepe has completed a big-money move to Arsenal from Lille. 

he broke his goal-scoring duck with a penalty against Aston Villa last weekend. the underlying stats show he will prove to be a formidable opponent for United’s full-back, and it will be a contest that could well define the outcome of the game.

Daniel James (CF)

Daniel James is probably Manchester United’s best player of the campaign so far, even though he was brought from Swansea City to play a role as a bench player in his debut season at Old Trafford.

The young Welshman has netted three Premier League goals in six appearances in 2019-20, which makes him United’s joint-top goalscorer with Marcus Rashford.

Man Utd vs Arsenal Combined XI

What do you think of this combined XI? Leave your thoughts in our comment section!