This Saturday, Manchester City take on Chelsea in the Premier League. We’ve put together an all-time XI made up of the two sides’ best players over the years.
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Goalkeeper – Petr Čech
With a massive 202 clean sheets, Petr Čech holds the Premier League record. A dominant figure in goal, he was a great dominator of his area, brilliant at claiming crosses and one of the best shot-stoppers to play the game.
And as for the trophies, he won it all. With a massive haul of four Premier Leagues, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one Champions League, and one Europa League, he is maybe the greatest GK to have played in the Premier League.
Right Back – Kyle Walker
Walker is one of the more underrated players in our lineup. But over the years, he’s proved himself as a top player. There aren’t many full-backs better at one-on-one situations.
Rapid pace and aggression are his standout attributes but he has also picked up loads of tactical knowledge through his career making him a brilliant all-round defender.
A key player in the treble-winning season, Walker has also won everything in club football. He’s a Manchester City and England great.
Centre Back – Vincent Kompany
He needs to be in the team for that goal against Leicester alone. Kompany came into the side at a time of massive change for City. The injection of money hadn’t fully kicked in and they needed some strength and leadership in the club.
He provided that, and over the next few years under his captaincy, they became the superpower we know today.
As a defender, he was one of the best. Fast, strong, and brilliant with the ball at his feet. With 360 appearances, a Player of the Season award in 2011/12, four league titles and a host of other trophies.
Centre Back – John Terry
The last bastion. John Terry splits opinion off the pitch, but there can be no debate on it.
Positionally, one of the best to play the game. Strong, tactically smart, no-nonsense. As captain and leader of the defence, his side conceded an incredible 15 goals in one Premier League season. 15.
His passing range and quality on the ball are also often overlooked. Like many players on this side, he won everything there is to win at domestic level. With a whopping 500 appearances and five titles, Terry makes his way into the side.
Left Back – Ashley Cole
His big-money move to Chelsea from rivals Arsenal proved to be a smart one. There aren’t many players in the history of football that could have kept Cristiano Ronaldo quiet, but Cole did it on numerous occasions.
Much like Walker, he was brilliant in 1v1 situations, could be a threat going forward, and could adapt to play whatever system the manager wanted.
A great positional full-back who finished his career with a massive trophy cabinet including multiple Premier Leagues and a Champions League medal.
Centre Midfield – Yaya Touré
This one was a difficult decision as Claude Makélélé would have a very strong case. But during the 2013/14 season, Yaya was on a different level to any other midfielder in the world.
He made it look like he was playing against children. Bison’s strength coupled with his technical ability to score and assist at will made him a monster.
From the deep-lying role, he dominated the league for multiple seasons leaving the club a City great. Just don’t forget his birthday.
Centre Midfield – Frank Lampard
One of the few in this team to have represented both sides. But, let’s be honest, he’s Chelsea through and through.
As goalscoring midfielders go, they don’t come any better. With a massive 177 goals in 609 appearances, Frank finished as Chelsea’s all-time leading scorer.
However, he was so much more than a bagsman. With quality passing, great feet, and an engine to go with it, he could control the midfield spaces. He’s an all-time Chelsea legend who won every trophy on offer at the club.
Centre Midfield – Kevin De Bruyne
This man lets his football do the talking. De Bruyne has solidified himself as the best midfielder on the planet over the past few years.
With maybe the best right foot we’ve ever seen, he can spin a web, ping 30-yard passes, rocket shots into the top right, and play the most delicate precision balls in behind.
Having won everything possible with City, he’s now hunting down the all-time Premier League assist record, for which he currently sits third with 106, just four behind Cesc Fàbregas.
Surely he’ll go on to break Ryan Giggs’ record of 160 in the next few years. If only Chelsea hadn’t let him go…
Left Wing – Eden Hazard
The golden boy of Belgium’s golden generation. There were a few seasons where he was simply unplayable.
With 245 appearances, 85 goals and 61 assists, he dominated an era of Premier League football, picking up multiple titles along the way.
Fast, tricky, technically brilliant, and much stronger than people give him credit for. His highlight reel is mind-bending.
He could also play with both feet which made him so deadly. They still miss him to this day.
Right Wing – David Silva
A little Spanish wizard. Both our wingers could play on either side, but we’ve stuck him on the right.
One of the smartest and best footballing brains to come through the Premier League. Whether it was with the ball at his feet, his movement, or just bending one in the far corner, Silva was world class.
Finishing his career with 20 goals, 93 assists, and multiple Team of the Year awards, you just couldn’t leave him out.
Striker – Sergio Agüero
This one was really difficult, but ultimately, it came down to goals. With a whopping 184 goals in 275 appearances, Kun was an assassin.
He could score all types of goals from all over the pitch. Whether it was in behind, edge of the box, or beating a man and finishing coolly, there was so much to his game.
Alongside this attacking lineup, he’d have scored hundreds.
A man who always seemed to come through in the clutch: think about THAT moment. Football heritage.
A player that won pretty much everything with City and took them from the ‘nearly’ side to the most dominant team in the Premier League.
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