Ray Parlour says only 2 Liverpool players would make combined XI with Arsenal ahead of crunch Premier League clash

Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour believes only Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah and centre-back Virgil van Dijk would currently get into a combined XI between the Gunners and the Reds.

The Englishman, who now works as a pundit for BBC and talkSPORT, told Netbet (as quoted by Football365):

“Looking at current form, [the defence] has to be all Arsenal, except for Virgil van Dijk. I know he isn’t playing great but you would get him in alongside Gabriel, no disrespect to Rob Holding, and with William Saliba currently out injured."

"You would also still have to find a spot for Mohamed Salah but you can’t leave Bukayo Saka out and Gabriel Martinelli is playing well so it is an awkward one."

Parlour went on to state that he would pick Salah over Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus, deploying the Liverpool forward as a false 9. He continued:

"But with Gabriel Jesus having recently come back from injury, I would put Salah up front over the Brazilian. You’ve got to get Salah in there somehow – he could play as a false number nine up front with Saka and Martinelli on the wing – as Jesus has only just come back."

Arsenal have been in exceptional form this season and are currently leading the league by eight points over second-placed Manchester City. With only nine games left, the Gunners are in pole position to become English champions for the first time since 2004.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have had an underwhelming 2022-23 campaign under Jurgen Klopp. The Reds find themselves eighth in the standings with Champions League football for next season a major doubt.

"I’d certainly rather have" - Ray Parlour says Liverpool 'don't get many spaces' in combined XI with Arsenal

Parlour snubbed full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson while naming his combined XI between the Reds and the north London outfit. The Englishman insisted that very few players from the Merseyside outfit could slot into an in-form Gunners side.

He stated about the defence of the combined XI:

“Liverpool don’t get many spaces. You’ve got Aaron Ramsdale in goal, I am happy with Ben White at right-back, he’s a good defender and has done so well this season, and at left-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko has been brilliant."

"I love Andy Robertson, he’s a good player but Zinchenko has been one of Arsenal’s best players in recent weeks. I’d certainly rather have White and Zinchenko over Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson."

Parlour then laid into Liverpool's midfield, claiming that not a single midfielder from the Reds would make it into the combined team. The former Arsenal midfielder added:

“And in midfield, Thomas Partey has been excellent, and you can’t leave Martin Odegaard out the way he’s been playing. Nobody from Liverpool’s midfield gets in. Partey, Granit Xhaka and Odegaard, as a three, they work so well together, and I can’t see how the likes of Jordan Henderson or Fabinho get in the way they are playing.”

The Reds and the Gunners will lock horns at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday (9 April).