Mix ‘n’ Match: Chelsea and Man City’s priciest XI no match for best
Published:With Manchester United floundering without Sir Alex Ferguson, Chelsea and Manchester City are likely to be the two sides competing with Arsenal for the title come the end of the season.
Manchester City are 17/10 to win the league and Chelsea 23/10, with the two sides set to meet at Stamford Bridge in their next league game, a match the Blues are 11/8 to win.
Both are renowned for splashing the cash, but comparing the most expensive team that can be made from their players, it bears little resemblance to a best 11.
Lining up in a 4-2-3-1, Petr Cech is the cheapest player picked at £7m and one who makes both teams, proving that Chelsea can find the odd bargain.
At right-back, Branislav Ivanovic rings up at £10m, but would be displaced by the cheaper Pablo Zabaleta in the best XI, while City laid out a ridiculous £19m on Alexander Kolarov, who falls behind Ashley Cole for the left-back slot.
David Luiz and Joleon Lescott were £22m each, but neither makes a dream team, with Vincent Kompany and Matija Nastasic the best bets in the heart of defence.
The central midfield costs £55m, with summer £30m signing Fernandinho joining Michael Essien. Again neither would feature in a dream team, with the slightly cheaper Yaya Toure paired with Ramires.
The sums continue to rise as we move further up the formation, with Willian and Eden Hazard, at £30m and £32m respectively, on the flanks, and the £38m Sergio Aguero playing just behind the striker.
Along with Cech, Aguero is the only other player to make both teams, with Hazard and Willian displaced by Juan Mata and David Silva.
Up front, the £50m white elephant that is Fernando Torres is the cherry on top of the expensive side, while Alvaro Negredo makes the best XI at under half the price.
Expensive XI: Cech, Ivanovic-Lescott-Luiz-Kolarov, Fernandinho-Essien, Willian-Aguero-Hazard, Torres
Best XI: Cech, Zabaleta-Nastasic-Kompany-Cole, Toure-Ramires, Mata-Aguero-Silva, Negredo
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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