EFL Cup final: Manchester United v Southampton combined XI

By Adam Smith

Ahead of the EFL Cup final between Manchester United and Southampton, live on Sky Sports on Sunday, we've created a combined XI based on the Sky Sports Power Rankings...

United and Saints will go head to head at Wembley with managers Jose Mourinho and Claude Puel both looking to claim their first major silverware at their new clubs.

The selections are based on the top-performing players in this season's Power Rankings, a system which awards points to players for 32 different matchday stats...

Image: Man Utd-So'ton combined XI

DEFENCE

United goalkeeper David de Gea gets the nod ahead of Southampton stopper Fraser Forster, having only conceded 21 goals and kept 10 clean sheets from 25 games.

Image: David de Gea gets the nod in goal

Injured Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk is one of only two Saints to make the XI and partners United's Daley Blind at centre-back.

Advertisement
Image: Virgil van Dijk is sidelined with an ankle injury

Antonio Valencia is the highest-ranked defender from either club in the Power Rankings and claims his place at right-back, with team-mate Marcos Rojo completing the back four at left-back.

MIDFIELD

Paul Pogba has received mixed headlines since his return to Old Trafford, but the Frenchman makes the heart of our team - ranking as the seventh-best Premier League player this season in the Power Rankings.

Also See:

Image: Paul Pogba ranks seventh in the season's Sky Sports Power Rankings

Ander Herrera has excelled as a deep-lying playmaker under Jose Mourinho this term and anchors the combined XI - allowing team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan to occupy an attacking midfield role.

ATTACK

Unsurprisingly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic spearheads the attack with nearly three times more Power Rankings' points than any other striker from either side, flanked by team-mate Juan Mata and Southampton's Nathan Redmond.

Join Sky Bet Club and track your progress towards a £5 free Bet

Opt in and bet £25 or more before 23:59 on Sunday. Free bets credited by 7pm on Monday.

Outbrain