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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have selected their combined Liverpool and Manchester United starting line-ups - with 16 of the available 22 slots being designated to Jurgen Klopp's side.

The Reds take on their bitter rivals on Sunday in an attempt to maintain place at the top of the Premier League.

United are 16 points adrift of Liverpool after just 16 games - an even wider gap than this stage of the 1973/74 campaign, the season the Manchester side were last relegated from the top flight.

Liverpool welcome United to Anfield as heavier favourites than they have been in a long time, a fact reflected by the line-ups Carragher and Neville selected.

Carragher opted for NINE Liverpool players in his side, while former Old Trafford defender Neville managed to fit four United stars into his.

Alisson Becker was the biggest omission from both, with David De Gea chosen ahead of Liverpool's Brazilian.

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In defence, Carragher opted for an entire Anfield back four, while Eric Bailly was picked by Neville to partner Virgil van Dijk.

Neville would, however, have selected Joe Gomez alongside the Dutchman if he was fit.

There was a difference in midfield with only one player picked by both - Naby Keita.

And up front, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino found their place in both teams - but Neville opted for Anthony Martial over Carragher's choice of Sadio Mane.

Follow the latest build-up to Liverpool's huge Champions League night HERE

Explaining his decisions, Carragher told Sky Sports: "We've agreed on seven players. The reason I went for Dejan Lovren was that, despite making mistakes, when everyone has their best game his is better than Bailly's or Chris Smalling's.

"I've put Nemanja Matic in because he's the classic holding midfielder; he's been there, done it and won titles. He's probably the best holding midfield player in both squads.

"I've gone for James Milner alongside him. I don't think Jurgen Klopp would swap Milner for Pogba if he could. He's not going to press.

"And last but not least, I've gone for Sadio Mane over Martial, he's been fantastic this season for Liverpool."

Neville, meanwhile, admitting Van Dijk was the player is what United need.

He said: "I've gone for David de Gea. Alisson is fantastic but I think De Gea is the best in the world. People question whether he is having the best season but overall it has to be De Gea.

"Left-back was a challenge, Luke Shaw at his best year in, year out would be in with a shout but you cannot deny what Andrew Robertson has done since joining Liverpool.

"Virgil van Dijk is the best centre-back in the Premier League, let alone in these two clubs - what United would do to have a centre-half like him.

"Trent Alexander-Arnold in at right-back and, if Joe Gomez was fit I would put him, but I've gone for Eric Bailly because I fancied putting a United player in the back four.

"Do I think Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren are brilliant? Not really. Do I think Bailly is brilliant? Not really. But if Bailly was put in among that back four, I think he would be the best out of those three. But it was a flip of a coin.

"I've gone for the quality of Anthony Martial down the left-hand side, he would be up front alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

"Without much conviction, I've gone with Paul Pogba holding in midfield, with Georginio Wijnaldum and Naby Keita either side."

Jamie Carragher's combined XI: De Gea, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Keita, Matic, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Mane

Gary Neville's combined XI: De Gea, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Bailly, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Pogba, Keita, Salah, Firmino, Martial