Arsene Wenger ousts Alexis Sanchez to the bench amidst chatter of training ground spats. Jose Mourinho recalls Luke Shaw for his first start since October, while Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero returns to the starting XI for the first time since Gameweek 22.
Here’s the first instalment of our Gameweek 26 teamsheet summary outlining the trends and tactics on show and offer early insight into the likely lineups for next weekend’s reduced round of fixtures.
Arsenal
Starting XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Coquelin (Sanchez 46), Welbeck (Walcott 74), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi, Giroud (Perez 74).
- Arsene Wenger made four changes from the side that beat Hull City in Arsenal’s last Premier League match for the trip to Anfield, with Nacho Monreal, Granit Xhaka, Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud coming in for Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
- Monreal returned at left-back for the Gunners, while Xhaka joined Francis Coquelin at the base of midfield. Welbeck operated on the left of the attacking midfield trio, with Giroud stationed as the lone striker.
- But with his side trailing 2-0 at half-time, Wenger decided to introduce Sanchez in place of Coquelin. The Chilean operated on the left wing, with Welbeck moving into a central support striker role behind Giroud. Alex Iwobi shifted over to the right flank, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joining Xhaka in the middle of the park. Then with 16 minutes remaining, Wenger brought on Walcott and Lucas Perez in place of Welbeck and Giroud. Walcott played on the right, with Iwobi moving back into the No 10 role. Perez operated as the lone striker.
- With Sanchez reportedly being dropped due to a training ground bust-up, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding how Arsenal’s attack will look when they travel to take on West Brom in Gameweek 29. Ozil should have recovered from illness by then, so appears likely to earn a recall, while Welbeck will push for another start after scoring at Anfield. That leaves the likes of Sanchez, Giroud, Walcott, Iwobi, Perez and perhaps Oxlade-Chamberlain battling for the other two attacking spots. Oxlade-Chamberlain may also drop into central midfield, though, as could the fit-again Aaron Ramsey. Gibbs will also push to replace Monreal at left-back.
Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Attacking Midfield, Lone Striker
Bournemouth
Starting XI: Boruc; A Smith, Cook, Mings (Cargill 78), Daniels; Arter, Surman, Fraser, Pugh (Gosling 46); King (Gradel 88), Afobe.
- Cherries boss Eddie Howe made one alteration for the trip to Old Trafford, with Benik Afobe handed a start in place of Jack Wilshere.
- In a bold team selection by Howe, Afobe started alongside Josh King up front in the 4-4-1-1 formation.
- But following Andrew Surman’s dismissal on the stroke of half-time, Howe decided to bring on Dan Gosling in place of Marc Pugh at the break. Gosling joined Harry Arter in central midfield, with King moving out to the left wing to form a 4-4-1 system. Tyrone Mings picked up a knee injury with 12 minutes to go, seeing youngster Baily Cargill take his place in central defence. Max Gradel provided fresh legs in place of King on the left wing for the final few minutes.
- Surman will miss Saturday’s home fixture against West Ham United due to suspension, so Gosling looks set to earn a start in central midfield. Wilshere provides another option, though, while he could also push for a recall in an attacking midfield role. The improved performance at Old Trafford may convince Howe to keep both Afobe and King in the starting XI. Mings is an early doubt due to that knee injury, while he may also be the subject of disciplinary action should the FA consider a retrospective ban for his incident involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Howe will be desperate to have captain Simon Francis available following a hamstring injury, then, with Cargill and Brad Smith the only other options in defence.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Attacking Midfield, Forwards
Burnley
Starting XI: Robinson; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Barton (Westwood 80), Hendrick, Brady (Arfield 66); Gray, Vokes (Tarkowski 80).
- Sean Dyche made three changes for the trip to the Liberty Stadium, with Paul Robinson, Jeff Hendrick and Sam Vokes replacing Tom Heaton, Ashley Westwood and the suspended Ashley Barnes.
- With Heaton ruled out due to illness, Robinson started in goal for the Clarets. Hendrick returned from suspension to replace Westwood in central midfield, while Vokes partnered Andre Gray in attack in the 4-4-2 formation.
- Shortly after the hour mark, Dyche decided to bring on Scott Arfield in place of Robbie Brady on the left side of midfield. Then with the score level at 2-2, the Burnley boss introduced Westwood and James Tarkowski for Joey Barton and Vokes. Tarkowski joined Westwood and Hendrick in central midfield, seeing the Clarets switch to a more defensive 4-5-1 formation in a bid to hold on for a point.
- Dyche will have Barnes available for Sunday’s trip to Anfield following the forward’s one-match ban. He could replace Vokes in attack, then, while Heaton will be expected to recover from illness to replace Robinson in goal. Steven Defour (hamstring) may have a chance of being fit to face Liverpool but the Belgian is probably unlikely to force his way into the starting XI. Westwood provides the main alternative to Barton and Hendrick in central midfield, while Dyche could even consider starting all three in a more defensive 4-5-1 formation.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Goalkeeper, Central Midfield, Forwards
Crystal Palace
Starting XI: Hennessey; Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt (Schlupp 62); Milivojevic; Townsend, Cabaye (Dann 74), Puncheon, Zaha (McArthur 86); Benteke.
- Sam Allardyce named the same side that beat Middlesbrough 1-0 for the trip to The Hawthorns. Scott Dann had to settle for a place among the substitutes once again, then.
- Big Sam rolled out the 4-1-4-1 formation once again, with Yohan Cabaye and Jason Puncheon starting in central midfield in front of Luka Milivojevic.
- Allardyce was forced into making a change just after the hour mark after Patrick van Aanholt suffered an ankle injury. He was replaced by Jeffrey Schlupp in a straight swap. Holding a slender 1-0 lead, Allardyce decided to introduce Dann in place of Cabaye for the final 16 minutes, seeing the Eagles switch to a 3-4-3 formation. James McArthur replaced Wilfried Zaha late on, with the substitute playing on the right side of midfield in front of Joel Ward, seeing Andros Townsend switch over to the left flank.
- Van Aanholt has been ruled out for around two to three weeks with that ankle injury, so he could miss Palace’s next match, at home to Watford in Gameweek 29. Schlupp may start at left-back, then, with the other option being to move Ward to left-back and James Tomkins to right-back, allowing Dann to start in central defence. The rest of the starting XI is set to stay unchanged following two successive victories.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Defence
Everton
Starting XI: Robles, Coleman, Williams, Funes Mori, Baines, Barry (McCarthy 64), Gueye (Valencia 81), Schneiderlin, Davies (Mirallas 64), Barkley, Lukaku.
- Everton boss Ronald Koeman made one change from the team that beat Sunderland 2-0 for the trip to White Hart Lane, with Gareth Barry starting in place of Ademola Lookman.
- Barry joined Morgan Schneiderlin and Idrissa Gueye in the three-man midfield, with Tom Davies moving forward into the attacking midfield positions alongside Ross Barkley in the 4-3-2-1 formation.
- With his side trailing 2-0 just after the hour mark, Koeman chose to make a double substitution, with James McCarthy and Kevin Mirallas replacing Barry and Davies in straight swaps. After scoring to make it 2-1, Koeman threw on Enner Valencia in place of Gueye, seeing Everton switch to a more attacking 4-2-3-1. Valencia played on the right of the attacking midfield trio, with Mirallas on the left.
- With Everton hosting West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Koeman may start with either Davies or McCarthy is central midfield alongside Schneiderlin and Gueye, perhaps allowing Lookman or Mirallas to earn a recall in the attacking midfield spots.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Attacking Midfield
Hull City
Starting XI: Jakupovic; Elmohamady, Ranocchia, Maguire, Robertson, Huddlestone, Markovic (Diomande 78), N’Diaye (Hernandez 68), Clucas, Grosicki, Niasse.
- Marco Silva made three alterations for the trip to the King Power Stadium, with Lazar Markovic, Sam Clucas and Oumar Niasse replacing Omar Elabdellaoui, Shaun Maloney and the injured Dieumerci Mbokani.
- Markovic and Clucas joined Kamil Grosicki in the attacking midfield positions in the 4-2-3-1 formation used by Silva, with Niasse chosen to lead the Tigers’ attack. Ahmed Elmohamady dropped to right-back for the visitors.
- Silva’s first substitution saw Abel Hernandez come on for Alfred N’Diaye. Hernandez joined Niasse in attack with Clucas dropping back into midfield, seeing Hull switch to more of a 4-4-2. Adama Diomande then took over from Markovic on the right wing for the final 12 minutes.
- Should Evandro (calf) be passed fit for Saturday’s crucial home clash against Swansea City, he could earn a recall in the No 10 role, with Clucas perhaps replacing N’DIaye in central midfield. Silva may also consider dropping one of Clucas or N’Diaye in order to pair Niasse and Hernandez in attack if he wants to start with a 4-4-2. Defenders Michael Dawson (calf) and Curtis Davies (hamstring) are not expected to be available to face the Welsh side.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Lone Striker
Leicester City
Starting XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Ndidi, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Mahrez (Slimani, 83), Okazaki (Gray, 70), Vardy.
- Caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare unsurprisingly named the same side that beat Liverpool 3-1 for the home encounter with Hull City.
- He kept faith in the tried and tested 4-4-1-1 formation, then, with Shinji Okazaki again chosen to provide the support for lone striker Jamie Vardy in attack.
- Shakespeare’s first change saw Demarai Gray brought on in place of Okazaki. Gray played down the left wing, with Marc Albrighton moving onto the right flank, allowing Riyad Mahrez to take up the central attacking midfield role. Mahrez then made way for compatriot Islam Slimani for the final seven minutes, seeing the home side finish the match in a 4-4-2.
- Following back-to-back wins, Shakespeare, or whoever takes charge for Leicester’s next match away to West Ham in Gameweek 29, looks set to name an unchanged starting XI once again. Slimani provides an alternative to Okazaki in attack but is unlikely to oust the Japanese international from the side for now at least.
Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Forwards
Liverpool
Starting XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Klavan, Milner, Wijnaldum, Emre Can, Lallana (Lucas Leiva 90), Mane (Alexander-Arnold 90), Firmino, Coutinho (Origi 79).
- Jurgen Klopp made one adjustment from the side that lost 3-1 to Leicester City for the home clash against Arsenal, with Ragnar Klavan recalled in place of Lucas Leiva.
- Klavan joined Joel Matip in central defence for the Reds, while Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana again started in central midfield in the continued absence of injured captain Jordan Henderson.
- Klopp’s first substitution saw Divock Origi replace Philippe Coutinho for the final 11 minutes. Origi played as the central striker, with Roberto Firmino moving out to the left of the front three. Lucas and Trent Alexander-Arnold were afforded brief run-outs late on in place of Lallana and Sadio Mane as the home side looked to hold on for the win.
- Dejan Lovren was fit enough to return to the bench for Liverpool, so the Croatian may push for a recall in place of Klavan for Sunday’s home encounter with Burnley. Henderson remains a doubt due to a foot injury, but if he’s passed fit, he could challenge Emre Can for a starting berth in central midfield.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield
Manchester City
Starting XI: Caballero; Sagna, Stones, Kolarov, Clichy; Fernandinho, Toure (De Bruyne 77); Sterling (Nolito 82), Silva, Sane (Delph 89); Aguero.
- Pep Guardiola made two changes from the XI that faced Bournemouth in City’s last Premier League match for the trip to the Stadium of Light, with Gael Clichy and Sergio Aguero replacing Kevin De Bruyne and the injured Gabriel Jesus.
- Clichy slotted in at left-back for City, while Aguero led the attack as the lone striker. Fernandinho played as the holding midfielder, with Yaya Toure and David Silva operating slightly further forward in the 4-3-3 system.
- With 13 minutes remaining, Guardiola brought on De Bruyne in place of Toure in a straight swap to provide some fresh legs. Nolito then replaced Raheem Sterling, with the Spaniard playing on the left wing, seeing Leroy Sane switch over to the right. Fabian Delph was then handed a brief run-out late on in place of Sane. Delph played in central midfield, with De Bruyne moving out to the right flank.
- With City’s next match arriving on Wednesday night against Stoke City, Guardiola may look to rotate his side a little, particularly in defence. Pablo Zabaleta and Nicolas Otamendi may push for recalls, then, while in central midfield, De Bruyne will be expected to return to the side. The likes of Nolito and Jesus Navas provide different options out wide, but the form of Sane and Sterling is likely to see them keep their starting spots. Sergio Aguero received a kick during the final few seconds yesterday but, with no reported ill-effects, he is set to lead the attack once again. Kelechi Iheanacho provides an alternative option in attack.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Lone Striker
Manchester United
Starting XI: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw (Fellaini 70); Carrick (Lingard 70), Pogba; Mata, Rooney (Rashford 70), Martial; Ibrahimovic.
- Jose Mourinho made five changes from the side that beat Watford 2-0 in United’s last Premier League match for the home encounter against Bournemouth, with Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney coming in for Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera and the injured Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
- Jones and Rojo formed the new centre-back partnership, with Shaw slotting in at left-back for his first appearance since Gameweek 10. Carrick joined Paul Pogba in the double-pivot in the 4-2-3-1 formation, while Rooney operated in the No 10 role, flanked by Juan Mata (right) and Anthony Martial (left).
- With the scores level at 1-1 after 70 minutes, and with Bournemouth down to 10-men, Mourinho decided to bring on Marouane Fellaini, Jesse Lingaard and Marcus Rashford in place of Shaw, Carrick and Rooney. Fellaini joined Pogba and Mata in central midfield, with Rashford operating on the right wing. Lingard played as an attack-minded left-back for the final 20 minutes.
- United don’t play again until Gameweek 29, when they travel to Middlesbrough. With FA Cup and Europa League matches before then, it’s likely that Mourinho will continue to rotate his side. He has a wealth of options to choose from in defence, with Bailly, Smalling and Blind all possible contenders to earn recalls at the Riverside Stadium. Herrera and Pogba are the first-choice partnership in central midfield, but Carrick, and to a lesser extent Fellaini, provide alternative options. Mkhitaryan could well have recovered from his hamstring injury to face ‘Boro, so he may come into contention to replace Rooney. Rashford and Lingard may also push for starting berths out wide, while should Zlatan Ibrahimovic be the subject of retrospective action following his elbow on Tyrone Mings, Rashford or Rooney may also be needed to start up front.
Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Left-Back, Flanks, Attacking Midfield, Lone Striker
Part Two of Lineup Lessons, covering the remaining nine teams, will be published tomorrow.
