The recalled Cesc Fabregas helps steer Chelsea to a 3-1 win over Swansea City. Loan arrival Mamadou Sakho makes an immediate impact on Crystal Palace’s porous defence, while Ryan Fraser impresses once again on the Bournemouth flank.
Here’s the first instalment of our Gameweek 26 teamsheet summary, which also factors in the EFL Cup final, as we outline the trends and tactics on show and offer early insight into the likely lineups for next weekend’s round of fixtures.
Bournemouth
Starting XI: Boruc; A Smith, Cook, Mings, Daniels; Arter (Afobe 66), Surman; Fraser, Wilshere (Gosling 66), Pugh (Mousset 79); King.
- Eddie Howe made two alterations for the trip to the Hawthorns, with Tyrone Mings and Marc Pugh recalled in place of the injured Simon Francis and Jordon Ibe.
- Mings started alongside Steve Cook in central defence for the Cherries, while Pugh played on the left of the attacking midfield trio in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Josh King once again started as the lone striker.
- With his side trailing 2-1, Howe brought on Dan Gosling and Benik Afobe in place of Harry Arter and Jack Wilshere. Gosling joined Andrew Surman at the base of midfield, while Afobe played as the lone striker, seeing King drop back into the No 10 role vacated by Wilshere. Lys Mousset was handed a rare appearance late on in a straight swap for Pugh.
- Howe will be desperate to have Francis (hamstring) available for Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford, but he remains a major doubt, so Mings may keep his place in the side. Elsewhere, the likes of Gosling and Afobe, in particular, could push for recalls, with King and Wilshere both able to play in different positions. Ibe missed out due to a knee problem last weekend but, if fit, could come into contention to replace Pugh in the starting XI. Stanislas has now been an unused substitute in the last three matches as he remains seemingly out of favour.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks, Attacking Midfield, Lone Striker
Burnley
Starting XI: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Barton, Westwood (Tarkowski 85), Brady (Arfield 90); Barnes, Gray (Vokes 85).
- Burnley manager Sean Dyche named the same starting XI that drew 1-1 against Chelsea for the trip to the KCOM Stadium.
- Dyche set up his team in more of a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ashley Westwood and Joey Barton forming the double-pivot, while George Boyd (right), Ashley Barnes (No 10) and Robbie Brady (left) offered support to lone striker Andre Gray.
- Dyche made all three substitutions late on, with James Tarkowski, Sam Vokes and Scott Arfield replacing Westwood, Gray and Brady in straight swaps.
- After being sent off for picking up two yellow cards, Barnes will miss Saturday’s match against Swansea City due to a one-match suspension. Vokes may earn a recall, then, which could see the Clarets start with a 4-4-2 formation. Steven Defour (hamstring) and Johann Berg Gudmundsson (knee) remain doubts ahead of the trip to south Wales.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Forwards
Chelsea
Starting XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses (Zouma 85), Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Pedro (Matic 76), Diego Costa, Hazard (Willian 85).
- Antonio Conte only made one adjustment for the visit of Swansea City to Stamford Bridge, with Cesc Fabregas recalled in place of Nemanja Matic.
- Fabregas joined N’Golo Kante in central midfield in the Blues’ usual 3-4-3 formation.
- With Chelsea holding a slender 2-1 lead, Conte decided to bring on Matic in place of Pedro for the final 14 minutes, allowing Fabregas to play slightly further forward. Then, after taking a 3-1 lead, the Chelsea boss brought on Kurt Zouma and Willian for Victor Moses and Eden Hazard in straight swaps.
- While Fabregas was very impressive against the Swans, he may still find himself demoted to the bench for next Monday’s trip to the London Stadium, with Matic perhaps set to earn a recall. Pedro has started five of the last six league matches and is expected to keep his starting spot, but Willian remains an alternative on the right.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Right Wing
Crystal Palace
Starting XI: Hennessey; Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt (Schlupp 88); Milivojevic, Puncheon; Townsend, Cabaye (McArthur 63), Zaha (Dann 88); Benteke.
- Sam Allardyce made two changes for the home encounter against Middlesbrough, with Mamadou Sakho and Yohan Cabaye starting in place of Damien Delaney and James McArthur.
- Making his Palace debut, Sakho partnered James Tomkins in central defence. In what was a 4-1-4-1 formation for the home side, Cabaye started alongside Jason Puncheon in the centre of the park, with Luka Milivojevic stationed in the defensive midfield role.
- Allardyce’s first change saw McArthur come on in place of Cabaye in a straight swap shortly after the hour mark. Then, as the home side looked to hold onto their 1-0 lead, the Palace boss decided to bring on Scott Dann and Jeffrey Schlupp in place of Wilfried Zaha and Patrick van Aanholt. That saw Palace end the match in more of a 5-1-3-1 system.
- After finding the winning formula, Allardyce isn’t likely to make many changes for the trip to The Hawthorns on Saturday. After returning from injury, Dann could challenge for a start alongside Sakho in central defence, with Tomkins perhaps an option to replace Joel Ward at right-back. McArthur offers a viable alternative in central midfield, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench once more.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Defence, Central Midfield
Everton
Starting XI: Robles; Coleman, Funes Mori, Williams, Baines; Schneiderlin, Gueye; Barkley (McCarthy 82), Davies (Valencia 70), Lookman (Mirallas 60); Lukaku.
- Ronald Koeman named an unchanged starting XI for the visit of Sunderland to Goodison Park.
- The Everton boss stuck with the 4-3-2-1 formation, then, with Idrissa Gueye and Tom Davies playing in advance of holding midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin. Ademola Lookman and Ross Barkley started in the attacking midfield positions behind lone striker Romelu Lukaku.
- Koeman decided to make a change just before the hour-mark, with the fit-again Kevin Mirallas introduced in place of Lookman in a straight swap. Enner Valencia then came on for Davies, seeing the home side switch to more of a 4-2-3-1, with Valencia and Mirallas flanking Barkley in the No 10 role. Then, after taking a 2-0 lead, Koeman made a slightly defensive change, with James McCarthy brought on to shore up the midfield in place of Barkley.
- Following another strong performance, Koeman isn’t expected to make many changes for Sunday’s trip to White Hart Lane. Mirallas or Valencia could challenge Lookman for a starting spot alongside Barkley in the attacking midfield positions, but the youngster has started the last three matches and impressed. The likes of McCarthy and Gareth Barry may have to settle for places on the bench once again.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Attacking Midfield
Hull City
Starting XI: Jakupovic; Elabdellaoui (Hernandez 82), Ranocchia, Maguire, Robertson; Elmohamady, Huddlestone, N’Diaye, Grosicki; Maloney (Meyler 67); Mbokani (Niasse 67).
- Marco Silva made three alterations for the home clash against Burnley, with Shaun Maloney recalled in place of the suspended Sam Clucas, while Ahmed Elmohamady and Dieumerci Mbokani came in for Oumar Niasse and the injured Lazar Markovic.
- Maloney operated in the No 10 role for the Tigers in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Elmohamady stationed on the right of the attacking midfield trio. Mbokani was utilised as the hosts’ lone striker.
- With the match goalless, Silva turned to David Meyler and Niasse off the bench, with Maloney and Mbokani the players brought off. Meyler played in a deeper midfield role than Maloney, which allowed Alfred N’Diaye the chance to push slightly further forward. Then, with the match level again at 1-1, Silva threw on Abel Hernandez as a final roll of the dice in place of Omar Elabdellaoui. The substitute joined Niasse in attack, while Meyler and Elmohamady operated at right-back and right wing respectively in a 4-4-2 formation.
- Markovic missed out with a knock picked up in training ahead of the match, but is likely to be in contention against Leicester City on Saturday. He could challenge Elmohamady for a place on the right wing, then, with the Egyptian and Elabdellaoui set to battle it out for the starting spot at right-back. Harry Maguire played through a knee injury against the Clarets and will need to be assessed this week. Clucas will be back from suspension, so he could vie for a start in central midfield, while Evandro may be an option to replace Maloney if he recovers from a calf injury. Silva also has plenty of options to choose from in attack, with either Niasse or Hernandez likely to push for a start in place of Mbokani.
Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks, Attacking Midfield, Lone Striker
Manchester United
Starting XI: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Rojo, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard (Rashford 77), Mata (Carrick 46), Martial (Fellaini 90), Ibrahimovic.
- Jose Mourinho made two changes from the side that beat Watford 2-0 for the EFL Cup final against Southampton, with Marcos Rojo replacing Daley Blind, while Jesse Lingard came in for the injured Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
- Rojo slotted in at left-back for United, while Lingard started on the right of the attacking midfield trio in the 4-2-3-1 formation, which saw Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba combine at the base of midfield.
- But following a patchy first half performance, Mourinho decided to bring on Michael Carrick in place of Juan Mata at half-time. That change saw United switch to a 4-3-3, with Carrick playing just behind Herrera and Pogba in central midfield. Marcus Rashford was brought on for Lingard in a straight swap for the final 13 minutes, then, after taking a 3-2 lead, Mourinho made a defensive move, with Marouane Fellaini replacing Anthony Martial for the final few minutes.
- Rojo was a surprise inclusion at left-back yesterday, but after a lacklustre performance, Mourinho may consider handing a recall to Blind for Saturday’s home clash with Bournemouth. If he sticks with the 4-2-3-1, Carrick is unlikely to earn a recall, with Rashford, and certainly Mkhitaryan – if he recovers from a hamstring problem – options to start in the attacking midfield positions. Wayne Rooney could also be an alternative should Mourinho looks to freshen up his starting XI.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks
Middlesbrough
Starting XI: Valdes; Ayala, Bernardo, Gibson; Fabio, De Roon, Forshaw (Guedioura 61), Ramirez, Downing; Negredo (Gestede 46), Stuani (Traore 79).
- Aitor Karanka made three changes from the side that drew 0-0 against Everton for the trip to Selhurst Park, with Daniel Ayala, Stewart Downing and Gaston Ramirez starting at the expense of Adam Clayton, Adama Traore and the injured Calum Chambers.
- Those switches saw the ‘Boro boss switch from a 4-3-3 system to a 3-5-2. Ayala joined Bernardo Espinosa and Ben Gibson in the three-man defence, with Fabio and Downing operating as wing-backs. Ramirez came in alongside Marten de Roon and Adam Forshaw in central midfield, with Cristhian Stuani and Alvaro Negredo combining up front.
- But heading into half-time 1-0 down, Karanka decided to introduce Rudy Gestede in place of Negredo in a straight swap. Then, just after the hour mark, Forshaw made way for Adlene Guedioura in central midfield, while his final substitution saw Traore come on for Stuani.
- With the change in formation not paying off for Karanka, he may revert back to a 4-3-3 for Saturday’s trip to the bet365 Stadium. Chambers (knock) and George Friend (knee) may both be able to return against Stoke City, which would increase the chances of a return to a four-man defence. Ayala and Downing could both drop back to the bench, then, while in midfield, Guedioura and Clayton offer viable alternatives, with Forshaw’s place in the starting XI perhaps at risk. The change to a 4-3-3 could also see Traore earn a recall, while the half-time substitution involving Negredo and Gestede suggests the latter could be handed a start against the Potters.
Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Wing-Backs, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks, Forwards
Southampton
Starting XI: Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Yoshida, Bertrand, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Davis (Rodriguez 90), Redmond, Gabbiadini (Long 83), Tadic (Boufal 77).
- Claude Puel kept faith in the same side that beat Sunderland 4-0 for the EFL Cup final against Manchester United.
- The Saints boss rolled out the 4-3-3 formation once again, then, with Nathan Redmond and Dusan Tadic flanking central striker Manolo Gabbiadini.
- Puel’s first substitution saw Sofiane Boufal replace Tadic in a straight swap. Shane Long was then brought on to provide fresh legs in place of Gabbiadini, while after falling 3-2 behind, the Saints boss threw on Jay Rodriguez for Steven Davis in search of a late equaliser, seeing Southampton end the match in more of a 4-2-4 formation.
- While Puel does have some options in midfield and on the flanks, we saw the Saints boss arguably select his strongest starting XI at Wembley. So unless he wants to freshen up his side for Saturday’s trip to Vicarage Road, the likes of Boufal, Long, Rodriguez and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg may have to settle for places on the bench once again.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks
Part Two of Lineup Lessons, covering the remaining nine teams, will be published tomorrow.
