Why Shearer has it wrong as combined Liverpool, Man Utd XI is revealed

Alan Shearer has named just one Manchester United star in a combined XI alongside Sunday’s opponents, Liverpool – but we’ve picked out a second Red Devils star who should be in there, and having taken a look at what all the pundits are saying about the Anfield encounter.

The north-west giants go into the match both in need of a morale-boosting victory. And while Liverpool, as defending Premier League champions, go into the game as many people’s favourites, three successive defeats – the first time that has happened since Arne Slot took charge – give Manchester United hope that a result is there for the taking.

That said, United’s form has been patchy to say the least. They sit 10th going into the weekend’s fixtures, aided by a much-needed win over Sunderland last time out. However, three wins and three defeats from their opening seven games is indicative of a side struggling to hit top form consistently.

With that in mind, pundit Alan Shearer has named his combined Liverpool, Man Utd XI for the game – and has controversially named just one Red Devils star in the line-up.

Shearer’s side, playing in a 4-3-3 formation, is:

• Alisson Becker
• Conor Bradley
• Virgil van Dijk
• Ibrahima Konate
• Luke Shaw
• Dominik Szoboszlai
• Alexis Mac Allister
• Ryan Gravenberch
• Mohamed Salah
• Hugo Ekitike
• Cody Gakpo

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer explained: “We don’t know who will come back fit, who will come back at a certain time, are they going to come back on Thursday or Friday? That’s always tough. If Slot has a full squad to pick from, then it wouldn’t surprise me if he went back again to what worked for him again last season, particularly in such a volatile fixture.”

However, one player we feel Shearer has harshly overlooked is Leny Yoro, with the French defender shining for the Red Devils this season and proving one footballer who can thrive in Ruben Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

Shining as the right-sided centre-half in a three, there is a strong argument that says Yoro should be included at the expense of Ibrahima Konate, who has not been 100% at the races so far this season.

Indeed, looking at his stats, Yoro has been on top of his game this season – and is a player getting better all the time…

Yoro deserves place in combined XI

Per FBref, Yoro has completed 91.3% of his passes over the last calendar year, putting him in the 86th percentile. He averages 1.71 progressive carries per 90, putting him in the top 94th percentile compared to his peers.

The 19-year-old – a €62m (£52.2m, $70m) signing from Lille in summer 2024 – has been an ever-present in the Premier League this season, starting five games and coming off the bench in the other two.

And having rated highly on tackles (1.91 per 90 – the top 80 percentile), interceptions (1.32 – the top 75 percentile) and touches in the opposition’s box (1.24 – the top 80 percentile), Yoro has come of age this season and deserves his place alongside Virgil van Dijk in a combined XI and at the expense of Konate.

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Liverpool v Man Utd – what the pundits are saying

Looking ahead to the game, Shearer stated: “With Liverpool having lost three on the spin, which no one saw coming, and Man Utd being the way they are, there’s no doubt there is extra spice to this game. It’s a game that both teams have to go and win for different reasons.

“International breaks are always tricky because, as a manager and club, you want to sit and work or go on the training ground and work on what’s gone wrong, but it’s difficult when you’ve got so many international players away.

“It would’ve been a tricky two weeks for Slot and (Manchester United boss Ruben) Amorim.”

He added: “Man Utd would snap your hand off for a point, there’s no doubt about that. It’s easier said than done, though, because as we said, the noise around this fixture is great and there’ll be a great atmosphere at Anfield. There always is.”

Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright, Jill Scott and Gary Neville have also shared their thoughts on the Anfield encounter – and a handsome home win seems to be the popular call.

“I’m going to go 3-1 to Liverpool,” Keane said on The Overlap, before Gary Neville confirmed Jamie Carragher’s prediction, adding: “2-1 to Liverpool, he (Carragher) is going.”

Wright is also backing a 3-1 win for Slot’s side, while Scott revealed that she expects Liverpool to record an emphatic home win to send their supporters home happy.

Neville, laughably, neglected to share his prediction for the game, though that is probably a sure-fire sign that he is not expecting to be feeling too happy come 6.30pm on Sunday evening.

Florian Wirtz rumours swell; Amorim in clear to sign £70m gem

Meanwhile, speculation that Real Madrid are giving serious thought to raiding Liverpool for Florian Wirtz in January has been given significant further weight by a former Barcelona star – but sources have underlined why the latest crazy suggestion simply does not have legs.

Elsewhere, Oliver Glasner has now officially confirmed that Marc Guehi will not sign a new contract at Selhurst Park and will exit Crystal Palace, quite likely on a free transfer, in 2026 – but with a Sky Sports journalist revealing the three clubs all ahead of Liverpool in the transfer race.

In some big developments at Old Trafford, United have been left as the sole suitors for Adam Wharton in January after Real Madrid withdrew from the race for a somewhat surprising reason.

TEAMtalk has also assessed the chances of Amorim landing his top target when the transfer window re-opens in just 75 days.

Back at Anfield, a shock report claims that Liverpool are readying an offer worth €75m plus add-ons for a Spain winger who they want signed BEFORE his price skyrockets at next year’s World Cup.

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