Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was conspicuously absent from the lineup, despite widespread belief among supporters that the Ecuadorian ranks among the finest defensive midfielders in football.

Carragher acknowledged the controversial omission directly, stating: “I apologise to Chelsea fans as I seem to do a lot. But no, I couldn’t find room for Caicedo.”

The former Liverpool defender had numerous standout performers to consider when assembling his 11-man selection from the current campaign.

Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs earned the spot between the posts in Carragher’s selection.

The defensive quartet featured a blend of Crystal Palace and Arsenal talent, with Daniel Munoz and Marc Guehi representing the Eagles alongside Gunners pair Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori.

|

PA

Arsenal’s influence extended into the middle of the park, where Declan Rice secured his place in the eleven.

The England international was partnered by Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka, whose move to the Championship club has proven transformative.

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes completed the midfield trio, adding creative flair to Carragher’s central selections.

The lineup drew representation from six different clubs across England’s top two divisions.

Carragher explained his rationale for selecting Rice ahead of the Chelsea star, saying: “I think Declan Rice just has the edge on Caicedo.”

The pundit was equally emphatic about Xhaka’s inclusion in his team, with the midfielder flourishing at Sunderland following his summer arrival from Bayer Leverkusen.aragraphs

“I just felt the impact of Xhaka this season, he’s had the biggest impact of a signing or effect on a team,” Carragher remarked.

He emphasised the veteran’s crucial role at the Stadium of Light, adding: “He’s so important to Sunderland, he had to be in the team.”

The midfield selections proved particularly divisive, with the combination of Rice, Xhaka and Fernandes leaving no room for one of the Premier League’s most highly-regarded holding players.

|

SKYSPORTS

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland led the forward line, supported by Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers on either flank.

When naming his standout performers of the campaign, Carragher placed Haaland and Rice at the summit, with Rogers earning third position.

The selections drew swift criticism from supporters on social media, however, with a handful unimpressed that Reece James was overlooked as well.

One fan dismissed the lineup entirely, declaring: “This is the worst line up.”

Another questioned the absence of Chelsea’s right-back, asking: “Where is Reece James?”

And further scepticism followed, with one observer noting: “Big questions for me.”