EPL – Combined XI – Arsenal vs Leicester City

EPL – Combined XI – Arsenal vs Leicester City

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League leaders Leicester City travel to North London to take on a desperate Gunners side that currently sits five points adrift of the top, with time running out to overhaul the Foxes’ lead.

Leicester’s away form has been outstanding this season, which means they’re current favourites to grab the away win.

Outside90 brings these two title challengers together to determine a combined best XI ahead of the biggest game of the season.

ARSLEI Combined XI

Petr Cech – Goalkeeper – Arsenal 

Kasper Schmeichel has had a very good season between the sticks for the Foxes, and may well have earned a spot in any other combined XI. However, it was an easy decision to select Cech, who has been the most impressive goalkeeper in the league this season. The stats seem to agree – the former Chelsea gloveman has a league-high 12 clean sheets and is second in the league for saves made with 84, only behind Stoke’s Jack Butland who has denied his opponents 87 times.

Hector Bellerin – Right-back – Arsenal 

The young full-back has had a very impressive season thus far, making the right-back spot his own. The young Spaniard is lightning quick, provides an extra dimension to the Gunners’ attack, has good crossing ability and is very solid defensively. Another easy selection in the XI.

Robert Huth – Centre-back – Leicester City

The former Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Stoke defender has reinvigorated his career in the East Midlands and has been a vital cog in a well oiled Leicester machine. The big defender has three goals this season, two coming at the Etihad Stadium last weekend against Manchester City. A more telling stat is that Huth has been part of a defence that has kept five clean sheets in the last seven league matches.

Laurent Koscielny – Centre-back – Arsenal

Koscielny just edges Foxes captain Wes Morgan to take a spot next to Huth in the XI. The French international also has three goals to his name this season and can take a lot of credit for being part of a back line that has averaged less than one goal conceded per game this season.

Christian Fuchs – Left-back – Leicester

Fuchs has been ever-present in Ranieri’s starting XI ever since Jeff Schlupp’s injury and has been a key component in the Foxes’ recent upturn in defensive resilience, with only three goals conceded in the last eight league matches. When pushing forward to support the attack, Fuchs has shown he has a very good delivery from wide areas. The Austrian captain well and truly got the better of David Silva last time out and provided an assist for fellow defender Huth with a pinpoint delivery.

N’Golo Kanté – Defensive-midfield – Leicester

Kante is the quiet achiever in the heart of the league’s current number one team and is arguably the most important player in the side. Joining the Foxes at the beginning of the season, the French midfielder has been a revelation. While players like Vardy and Mahrez steal the limelight each week, they are only able to do so, based on the solid foundations provided by Kante at the base of the midfield. He is one of the league’s best in terms of interceptions and tackles won, which prevents opponents from getting into any sort of rhythm or building up any momentum. A very underrated player.


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Danny Drinkwater – Defensive-midfield – Leicester

Drinkwater’s partnership with Kante is pivotal to the way Leicester play. They hunt as a pair and hound opposition players to win back possession. Drinkwater rarely gives opposition players any time on the ball to pick out a pass, often resulting in a turnover. The prospective England international has a very good passing range – both short and long. This has been on display many times this season when he has released Vardy with an accurate long ball in behind the opposition to quickly turn them around.

Mesut Ozil – Attacking-midfield – Arsenal

With a league-high 16 assists this season, the German World Cup winner easily gains a spot in the XI. One of the world’s best in the No. 10 position, Arsenal would not be in a position to challenge for the title without him.

Riyad Mahrez – Right-wing – Leicester

Mahrez has been one of, if not the best winger in the league this season. With 14 goals and 10 assists, the Algerian can be unstoppable on his day – as seen last weekend when he turned experienced defender Martin Demichelis inside-out and upside-down before finishing on his ‘weaker’ right foot with aplomb, bamboozling England goalkeeper Joe Hart in the process.

Jamie Vardy – Striker – Leicester

Like Kasper Schmeichel, Olivier Giroud, with 12 goals this season, would have made any other combined XI. However, with a league high 18 goals, the story of the season – Jamie Vardy easily takes the spot as the number nine. Ranieri has trusted Vardy this season with leading the line, after being deployed mainly out wide and off the bench by Nigel Pearson last season – and the striker has repaid the Italian’s faith in his ability. A scary prospect for the rest of the league is that Vardy has 13 games to add to his already large goal tally. He will be one Koscielny and co. will need to keep a close eye on – he scored a brace in the reverse fixture.

Alexis Sanchez – Left-wing – Arsenal

Although the Chilean’s season has been interrupted by injuries, he just edges out Marc Albrighton to take the last spot in the combined XI. Sanchez has six goals and an assist to his name this season, while Albrighton has a goal and six assists this campaign. Although very comparable returns, the Chilean has achieved these stats in 17 games, while it has taken his opposite number 24 games to achieve those numbers. If Sanchez can remain fit for the rest of the season and start firing again, the Gunners are still every chance for the title. Huth and co. need to nullify his influence – Sanchez scored a hat-trick in the 5-2 thumping of the Foxes in the reverse fixture.

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