Alan Shearer Names Bold Liverpool vs Manchester United Combined XI – Bruno Fernandes and Isak Left Out
Premier League icon Alan Shearer has unveiled a bold combined Liverpool and Manchester United XI ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated showdown at Anfield.
The two fierce rivals meet in the weekend’s headline fixture, with reigning champions Liverpool entering as favourites. However, Arne Slot’s men are desperate to bounce back after a run of three consecutive defeats.
Manchester United, sitting 10th in the Premier League, earned a 2-0 victory over Sunderland before the international break but have not claimed an away league win since March. Ruben Amorim’s side will need to produce something special to leave Anfield with all three points.
🧤 Shearer’s Combined Liverpool & Man United XI
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Senne Lammens impressed on his United debut, but Shearer’s choice of Alisson comes as no surprise. The Brazilian remains one of the best goalkeepers in world football.
Right-back: Conor Bradley
While Conor Bradley hasn’t quite filled Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shoes yet, the 22-year-old has shown flashes of potential this season.
Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk
Though not quite at his peak form, Van Dijk continues to command respect as one of the Premier League’s elite defenders.
Centre-back: Ibrahima Konaté
Another Liverpool representative, Konaté will be eager to deliver a solid display and help his side keep a clean sheet.
Left-back: Luke Shaw
The only Manchester United player in Shearer’s XI. With Milos Kerkez struggling and Andy Robertson past his prime, Shaw gets the nod.
Midfield: Alexis Mac Allister
A standout performer for Liverpool, Mac Allister’s inclusion in the team is fully deserved.
Midfield: Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch’s technical quality and control make him a key figure in Shearer’s lineup.
Midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai
Sometimes deployed at right-back this season, Szoboszlai earns his place thanks to his dynamism and spectacular free-kick against Arsenal.
Right-wing: Mohamed Salah
Despite a slow start to the campaign, Salah remains one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards and easily claims his spot.
Left-wing: Cody Gakpo
Chosen ahead of Matheus Cunha, the Dutchman’s versatility and work rate earn him a place on the left flank.
Striker: Hugo Ekitike
A surprise selection, Ekitike gets the nod over Benjamin Sesko and Alexander Isak after scoring three goals in six league games and debuting for France.
🗣️ Shearer on the Rivalry
“Liverpool versus Manchester United is always a massive occasion because of the size and history of both clubs,” Shearer told Betfair. “It’s a fixture players and fans circle on the calendar every season.
“With Liverpool losing three in a row and United still struggling for consistency, there’s extra edge to this one. Both sides badly need the win for very different reasons.
“International breaks can be frustrating for managers like Slot and Amorim because it limits time to fix issues on the training ground. They’ll both be hoping their players return fit and ready.
“If Slot has his full squad available, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return to the approach that worked so well for Liverpool last season — especially in a match of this magnitude.”