Line-up Lessons – Gameweek 32 – Part Two

An unchanged Arsenal leaves Alexis Sanchez to continue ploughing a lonely left-flank furrow, Kyle Walker is rested – again – and injury issues resurface for two of West Ham’s major assets.

Having published Part One yesterday, we now roll out the second instalment of our Gameweek 32 teamsheet summary, outlining the trends and tactics on show and offering early insight into the likely line-ups to come for the weekend.

Arsenal

Starting XI: Martinez, Bellerin, Mustafi, Gabriel, Monreal, Xhaka, Elneny (Ramsey 59), Walcott (Oxlade-Chamberlain 69), Ozil, Welbeck (Giroud 60), Sanchez.

• Arsene Wenger named the same side that beat West Ham United 3-0 for the trip to Selhurst Park.
• Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny formed the central midfield partnership once again, while Danny Welbeck was stationed as the lone striker, again consigning Alexis Sanchez to a role on the left wing.
• With his side trailing 2-0, Wenger made a double substitution on the hour mark, with Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud sent on for Elneny and Welbeck in straight swaps. Wenger’s final change saw Oxlade-Chamberlain take over from Walcott on the right wing.
• Wenger has stuck with a fairly settled side of late, but this defeat could change all that. It’s in central midfield where he looks to have the most alternatives, with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey and Francis Coquelin all options to replace Elneny and Xhaka. Oxlade-Chamberlain could also challenge for a start out wide in place of Walcott, while Giroud or Sanchez will surely put pressure on Welbeck for the lone striker role. Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) remains a doubt, so Wenger might have to stick with Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel in central defence. The Arsenal manager will hope either Petr Cech (calf) or David Ospina (back) are available to replace Emiliano Martinez in goal.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Goalkeeper, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Left Wing, Central Striker

Crystal Palace

Starting XI: Hennessey, Ward, Kelly, Sakho, Schlupp, Milivojevic (Flamini 82), Cabaye (McArthur 74), Zaha (Delaney 88), Puncheon, Townsend, C Benteke.

• Sam Allardyce named an unchanged side for the home clash against Arsenal, after Yohan Cabaye recovered from a calf problem to keep his place in central midfield.
• Allardyce stuck with the 4-3-3 formation, with Cabaye and Jason Puncheon playing just in front of holding midfielder Luka Milivojevic. Wilfried Zaha (right) and Andros Townsend (left) flanked central striker Christian Benteke.
• With Palace leading 3-0, Allardyce sent on James McArthur in place of Cabaye in a straight swap. Mathieu Flamini then took over from Milivojevic in the defensive midfield role, with the final change seeing Damien Delaney brought on for Zaha as the hosts finished the match in a 5-4-1 system.
• After recording a fifth win in their last six matches, Allardyce is unlikely to make changes for Saturday’s home clash with Leicester City. Patrick van Aanholt (ankle) remains a major doubt, so Jeffrey Schlupp is expected to keep his place at left-back. McArthur provides an alternative in central midfield, but will probably have to settle for a place on the bench once more.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back

Southampton

Starting XI: Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Yoshida, Bertrand, Clasie (Reed 85), Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse (McQueen 71), Tadic, Redmond (Sims 71), Long.

• Claude Puel made three alterations from the side that beat Crystal Palace 3-1 for the trip to West Bromwich Albion, with Jordy Clasie coming in for the suspended Oriol Romeu, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg earned a recall in place of the injured Steven Davis. The other change saw the fit-again Ryan Bertrand replace Sam McQueen.
• Clasie and Hojbjerg combined at the base of midfield in the 4-2-3-1 formation, while Bertrand slotted into his usual position at left-back.
• With 19 minutes remaining, Puel brought on McQueen and Josh Sims in place of James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Redmond. McQueen played on the left wing, with Sims stationed on the opposite flank. Harrison Reed was handed a rare appearance late on in a straight swap for Clasie.
• If Davis (ankle) is passed fit for Saturday’s home fixture with Manchester City, he could push for a recall in place of Hojbjerg. Romeu will serve the second match of his suspension against the Citizens. Shane Long is likely to keep hold of his starting spot as the lone striker unless Manolo Gabbiadini (groin) is available to return, although Jay Rodriguez does provide a viable alternative.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Lone Striker

Stoke City

Starting XI: Grant, Johnson, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters, Shaqiri, Allen (Adam 27, Sobhi 81), Cameron, Arnautovic, Berahino, Walters (Whelan 68).

• Mark Hughes made three alterations for the visit of Liverpool to the bet365 Stadium, with Glen Johnson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Jonathan Walters replacing Marc Muniesa, Mame Biram Diouf and Charlie Adam.
• Those changes saw Hughes revert to a 4-2-3-1, with Shaqiri (right), Walters (No 10) and Marko Arnautovic (left) starting in the attacking midfield positions behind lone striker Saido Berahino. Johnson slotted in at right-back for the Potters.
• The Stoke boss was forced into making an early change, though, after Joe Allen suffered a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Adam in a straight swap. In a bid to try and hold onto their 1-0 lead, Hughes brought on Glenn Whelan in place of Walters, switching to a more defensive 4-3-3. But Liverpool quickly established a 2-1 lead, which meant that when Adam was forced off with a knock, Hughes chose to bring on Ramadan Sobhi, seeing a return to the 4-2-3-1. The Egyptian played on the left wing, with Arnautovic moving centrally for the final nine minutes.
• Allen appears almost certain to miss Saturday’s home match-up against Hull City, so if Adam is also ruled out, Whelan may earn a start alongside Geoff Cameron at the base of midfield. Sobhi offers another option out wide, with Diouf and Peter Crouch other attacking options who may come into Hughes’ thinking, particularly with Berahino struggling to make an impact since moving to the Potters in January.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Forwards

Sunderland

Starting XI: Pickford, Jones, Kone, Denayer, Oviedo (Manquillo 39), Ndong, Cattermole (Borini 66) , Rodwell, Larsson, Anichebe, Defoe.

• David Moyes only made one adjustment for the visit of Manchester United to the Stadium of Light, with Victor Anichebe recalled in place of Fabio Borini.
• Anichebe joined Jermain Defoe in attack for the Black Cats in a 4-4-2 formation. Didier Ndong (right) and Sebastian Larsson (left) played out wide in midfield.
• Moyes was forced into making a substitution before half-time, with Javier Manquillo replacing Bryan Oviedo at left-back after the Costa Rican suffered a hamstring problem. Following Larsson’s dismissal, Ndong played more centrally next to Jack Rodwell and Lee Cattermole to form a 4-3-2 formation. As a final roll of the dice with his side trailing 2-0, Moyes decided to bring on Borini for Cattermole, seeing the home side finishing the match in a 4-2-3 system.
• Oviedo will be assessed ahead of Saturday’s home clash against West Ham United, but if he is ruled out, Manquillo could deputise at left-back. John O’Shea has missed the last two matches following the death of his father, but he may be available to return on Saturday, perhaps replacing Jason Denayer. With Sunderland now in a desperate position at the bottom, Moyes is likely to stick with an attack-minded 4-4-2, so, unless they are successful in appealing against Larsson’s red card, Borini or Adnan Januzaj, who was ineligible to face his parent club on Sunday, could start out wide.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Left-Back, Flanks

Swansea City

Starting XI: Fabianski, Olsson, Mawson, Fernandez, Naughton, Cork (Montero 65), Fer, Carroll (Llorente 46), Sigurdsson, J Ayew, Routledge (Narsingh 46).

• Head coach Paul Clement named the same side that lost 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur for the trip to West Ham United, although Fernando Llorente was fit enough to be named among the substitutes following an ankle injury.
• Clement kept faith in his preferred 4-3-3 formation, with Wayne Routledge (right) and Gylfi Sigurdsson (left) flanking central striker Jordan Ayew.
• But after falling a goal behind on the stroke of half-time, Clement decided to make a double substitution, with Luciano Narsingh and Llorente replacing Tom Carroll and Routledge. Those changes saw the Swans switch to a 4-2-3-1, with Narsingh (right), Sigurdsson (No 10) and Ayew (left) forming the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Llorente. Then, after Jack Cork twisted his ankle, the Swansea boss decided to bring on Jefferson Montero. The Ecuadorian played on the left wing, with Ayew joining Llorente up front in a 4-4-2 system that left Sigurdsson alongside Leroy Fer in central midfield.
• After getting 45 minutes under his belt, Llorente should come back into the starting XI for Saturday’s trip to Watford. Narsingh may also push for a start in place of Routledge on the right flank. With matches running out for the Swans, Clement could consider switching to a more attacking 4-2-3-1, with Sigurdsson being utilised in the No 10 role and either Ayew or Montero on the left. Fer and Carroll could start in central midfield if Cork is ruled out, with Ki Sung-yeung another alternative in those positions.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Lone Striker

Tottenham Hotspur

Starting XI: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele (Sissoko 75), Son (Onomah 87), Alli, Eriksen, Janssen (Kane 60).

• Mauricio Pochettino made three alterations for the home encounter against Watford, with Hugo Lloris, Kieran Trippier and Vincent Janssen recalled in place of Michel Vorm, Kyle Walker and Moussa Sissoko.
• Those changes saw the Spurs boss roll out a 4-2-3-1 formation at White Hart Lane, with Christian Eriksen (right), Dele Alli (No 10) and Son Heung-min (left) stationed in the advanced midfield positions behind lone striker Janssen. Trippier slotted in at right-back, with Eric Dier operating in the double-pivot next to Mousa Dembele.
• With half an hour remaining, Pochettino decided to bring on Harry Kane, back following an ankle injury, in place of Janssen in a straight swap. Sissoko then took over from Dembele in central midfield, while Joshua Onomah was handed a brief run-out late on in place of Son.
• Pochettino’s selection for Saturday’s home fixture against Bournemouth may largely depend on whether Victor Wanyama (back) is available to return. The Kenyan was initially named among the substitutes last weekend before aggravating the injury in the warm-up. If he is fit, the Spurs boss may well return to the 3-4-2-1 formation, with Dier coming back into the three-man backline and Wanyama partnering Dembele in midfield. That scenario would potentially mean there is no spot for the in-form Son, with Kane expected to start in attack in whatever formation Pochettino chooses. But if he goes with a 4-2-3-1, Son could join Eriksen and Alli in the attacking midfield positions, with one of Dier and Wanyama missing out. Walker has missed two of the last three matches, but with a week between fixtures, he would seem set to return at the expense of Trippier.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Midfield, Lone Striker

Watford

Starting XI: Gomes, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas, Janmaat, Cleverley, Doucouré (Zuniga 59), Amrabat (Deeney 70), Niang, Okaka (Kabasele 85), Success.

• Head coach Walter Mazzarri made four changes for the trip to Tottenham Hotspur, with Adrian Mariappa coming in for the suspended Miguel Britos, while Daryl Janmaat, Stefano Okaka and Isaac Success replaced Sebastian Prodl, Etienne Capoue and Troy Deeney.
• Those changes saw Mazzarri opt for a a 4-5-1 formation at White Hart Lane, with Success used as the lone striker. M’Baye Niang and Okaka played out wide, while Nordin Amrabat joined Tom Cleverley and Abdoulaye Doucoure in central midfield. Janmaat was stationed at right-back, with Mariappa playing alongside Craig Cathcart in central defence.
• With his side trailing 4-0, Mazzarri firstly decided to bring on Juan Zuniga in place of Doucoure in a straight swap. Deeney then came on for Amrabat, seeing the Hornets switch to more of a 4-2-3-1, with Success, Okaka and Niang operating in advanced midfield positions. The final change saw the fit-again Christian Kabasele replace Okaka as the visitors finished the match in a 3-4-3, with the Belgian joining Mariappa and Cathcart in central defence.
• Mazzarri will again be without the suspended Britos for Saturday’s home match-up with Swansea City, while Prodl (rib injury) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) will need to be assessed. If neither player recovers in time, the back four could remain unchanged. Capoue and Deeney were left on the bench last weekend due to fatigue, so they are expected to earn recalls against the Welsh side. Success and Okaka may drop to the bench, which would allow the Watford boss to revert to the 4-3-3 which he has generally favoured in recent months. Valon Behrami will come into contention to start in place of Doucoure if he can recover from the knock that has seen him miss the last three matches.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks

West Bromwich Albion

Starting XI: Foster, Dawson, McAuley (Brunt 53), Evans, Nyom, Livermore, Chadli, Fletcher (Robson-Kanu 66), Morrison, Phillips (McClean 63), Rondon.

• Baggies’ head coach Tony Pulis made three changes for the home clash against Southampton, with James Morrison, Matt Phillips and Salomon Rondon recalled at the expense of Chris Brunt, James McClean and Hal Robson-Kanu.
• Rondon returned as the lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation used by Pulis, with Morrison (No 10) and Phillips (left) stationed in the advanced midfield positions.
• But with his side trailing 1-0, Pulis decided to make a change just eight minutes into the second half when Brunt was brought on in place of Gareth McAuley. Brunt played as an attacking left-back, with Allan Nyom and Craig Dawson switching to right-back and centre-half respectively. Shortly after the hour mark, McClean took over from Phillips on the left wing, and in an attacking final change, Pulis introduced Robson-Kanu in place of Darren Fletcher. The Wales international joined Rondon up front, while Morrison dropped slightly deeper alongside Jake Livermore in the middle of the park to form a 4-4-2.
• Following another defeat, Pulis may again make changes for West Brom’s home clash with Liverpool on Sunday. McAuley has now been taken off before the hour mark in the last two matches, and while he is expected to keep his starting berth, there is a chance Brunt could move to left-back, with Jonny Evans, Dawson and Nyom forming the rest of the back four. Brunt is also an option in midfield, while McClean and Robson-Kanu could also push for starts, most likely in place of Phillips and Rondon.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Defence, Flanks, Lone Striker

West Ham United

Starting XI: Randolph, Byram, Collins, Fonte, Masuaku, Noble, Kouyate, Lanzini, A Ayew (Fernandes 86), Snodgrass (Feghouli 70), Antonio (Calleri 40).

• Hammers’ boss Slaven Bilic made one adjustment from the side that lost 3-0 to Arsenal for the home clash against Swansea City, with Robert Snodgrass earning a recall in place of Andy Carroll, who is dealing with a nagging groin problem.
• Snodgrass started on the right of the attacking midfield trio, with Michail Antonio in the No 10 role and Manuel Lanzini on the left behind lone striker Andre Ayew.
• But Antonio’s afternoon only lasted 40 minutes before he suffered a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Jonathan Calleri, who played as the lone striker, with Ayew dropping back into the No 10 position. Sofiane Feghouli took over from Snodgrass on the right for the final 20 minutes, while Bilic’s final substitution saw Edimilson Fernandez replace Ayew in a defensive-minded move, seeing the Hammers finish the match in a 4-5-1 formation as they looked to hold on for a crucial three points.
• Bilic revealed after the match that Carroll will “probably, definitely” be in contention to start against Sunderland on Saturday, so if Antonio is ruled out, he could take his spot in the starting XI. That would see Ayew move to the No 10 role. Mark Noble will serve a two-match suspension after picking up his 10th booking of the season, so Fernandes may earn a starting spot in midfield. Havard Nordtveit provides another option in the defensive midfield role. Feghouli provides a viable alternative to Snodgrass on the right but, after returning to wining ways, Bilic may well keep faith in the majority of the same starting XI.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Lone Striker