FPL Line-up Lessons – Gameweek 4 – Part Two

Part two of our Line-Up Lessons assesses the teamsheets and formations of the remaining ten Premier League clubs’ Gameweek 4 matches. Part one of this feature can be found here.

Pep Guardiola went with Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero up top for the visit of Newcastle United, though Bernardo Silva lost his ever-present record as he was dropped to the bench.

Manchester United impressed in a 4-3-3 at Turf Moor, though Mauricio Pochettino may rue switching to a wing-back system as Spurs went down to a 2-1 defeat at Watford.

Naby Keita was the only victim of Jurgen Klopp’s threatened rotation, meanwhile, as Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane began another match in attack.

Leicester City

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel; Chilwell, Morgan, Maguire, Pereira; Ndidi, Mendy; Ghezzal, Albrighton (Iheanacho 61’), Maddison (Amartey 83’); Gray (Okazaki 76’).

• What we saw: Claude Puel made two changes for the visit of Liverpool, one of which – winger Rachid Ghezzal in for Daniel Amartey – pushed Ricardo Pereira back to full-back. Kelechi Iheanacho was replaced by Marc Albrighton, meanwhile, with FPL midfielder Demarai Gray leading the line and Albrighton taking up position on the left flank. Wes Morgan was once again preferred to Jonny Evans at centre-back. Iheanacho’s introduction for Albrighton saw Gray move back to the left flank to accommodate the Nigerian striker, while Maddison’s substitution – Amartey coming on to replace him – allowed Pereira to move forward to the right wing.
• What we learned: Pereira has started both of Leicester’s home matches at right-back this season, with his two appearances on the right wing coming in the Foxes’ fixtures on the road. With that in mind and Leicester away from home next in Gameweek 4, Amartey could once again be stationed at full-back with Pereira ahead of him. Ghezzal’s goal against Liverpool, however, may see him retain a starting place. Jamie Vardy will return from suspension to line up at centre-forward, with Gray perhaps moving back to the left flank and Albrighton dropping out.

Current Status: Fairly unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-back, wingers

Liverpool

Starting XI (4-3-3):  Alisson; Robertson, Van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold (Matip 89’): Henderson (Keita 71’), Wijnaldum, Milner; Salah (Shaqiri 71’), Firmino, Mane

• What we saw: Jordan Henderson in for Naby Keita was Jurgen Klopp’s only change to his starting XI, as the Reds once again lined up in a 4-3-3 for the Saturday lunchtime match against Leicester. Henderson lined up as the anchor of the midfield three, with James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum stationed slightly ahead of him. Otherwise, Liverpool were as they were for the first three matches of the season.
• What we learned: The rotation that Klopp had threatened in his press conference last week started at the weekend, but the impact was minimal from an FPL perspective, given that Keita was only owned by around 4% of FPL managers. Henderson didn’t particularly excel against the Foxes and his performance also had an adverse effect on the hitherto excellent Wijnaldum and Milner, who were tasked with slightly different responsibilities in Keita’s absence. Keita could well return to the line-up after the international break, then, for the trip to Spurs. Fabinho was absent yet again from the squad of 18, so his first-team prospects currently appear limited. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino led the line yet again, but with the Champions League kicking off soon after the return from the international break, we should be braced for a change or two up top – but perhaps not in the important Gameweek 5 encounter with Spurs. Joe Gomez excelled at centre-back again, furthering his case for continued inclusion in Klopp’s side.

Current Status: Fairly settled
Risk Areas: Central midfield

Manchester City

Starting XI (4-1-3-2): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy; Fernandinho; Mahrez (Gundogan 76′), D Silva (Kompany 89), Sterling; Aguero, Jesus (B Silva 58′)

• What we saw: Another weekend, another formation tweak and another set of personnel changes from Pep Guardiola. The City boss went with two up top for the visit of Newcastle United – Gabriel Jesus accompanying Sergio Aguero in attack – with Riyad Mahrez, David Silva and Raheem Sterling (again on the left) playing just behind them. John Stones replaced Vincent Kompany in defence, while Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan dropped to the bench. Bernardo’s introduction for Jesus just before the hour saw City effectively go to a 4-3-3 with Mahrez (later Bernardo, when the Algerian was substituted) and Sterling flanking Aguero.
• What we learned: Little can be really learned from Guardiola’s tactics this season, as they are seldom used again the next match. Bernardo Silva’s benching means that Fernandinho is now the only City midfielder who has started all four of City’s league matches this season – highlighting the minefield that is City’s more offensive-minded FPL midfield assets. Ederson, Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mendy and Sergio Aguero are also ever-presents in the league – though all bar the Brazilian goalkeeper are surely at risk for the busy schedule City are about to embark on.

Current Status: Fairly unsettled
Risk Areas: Central defence, attacking midfield, wingers

Manchester United

Starting XI (4-3-3):  De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Fellaini, Matic, Pogba (Bailly 90′); Sanchez (Rashford 61′), Lingard (Herrera 75′), Lukaku

• What we saw: After the wing-back experimentation against Spurs, Jose Mourinho reverted back to a 4-3-3 for the trip to Burnley. Victor Lindelof replaced the injured Phil Jones in defence, while Marouane Fellaini was preferred to Fred in central midfield. Alexis Sanchez came back into the starting XI on the left of the front three, with Jesse Lingard on paper lining up on the right flank but drifting centrally to feed off Romelu Lukaku. Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia kept their places at full-back, meanwhile.
• What we learned:  The convincing nature of United’s victory over the Clarets would suggest that the Red Devils could remain unchanged both in formation and personnel for the match against Watford in Gameweek 5, with Marcus Rashford’s red card meaning he is one less name to worry about from a rotation perspective. Lingard, Lukaku and Sanchez worked well in tandem up front, while Mourinho reserved praise for the incoming Fellaini and Lindelof so they too could retain their starts. That United kept their first clean sheet of the season was perhaps significant and Mourinho would be understandably reluctant to alter a solid backline after the struggles of the first three Gameweeks.

Current Status: Fairly settled
Risk Areas: Right-back, centre-back, attacking midfield

Newcastle United

Starting XI (5-4-1):  Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Fernandez, Clark (Murphy 81′), Dummett; Kenedy (Atsu 54′), Diame, Ki, Perez; Rondon (Joselu 73′)

• What we saw: For the second successive match, Rafael Benitez sent his side out in a 5-4-1 formation as the Magpies attempted to constrain Manchester City at the Etihad. Jamaal Lascelles was fit to return at centre-back, displacing Fabian Schar in the five-man defence. Jacob Murphy and the injured Matt Ritchie were replaced by Ayoze Perez and Kenedy on the flanks, meanwhile. Jonjo Shelvey wasn’t fit enough to feature, so Ki Sung-yeung and Mohamed Diame continued in the centre of midfield. As United attempted to claw their way back into the match, Benitez sacrificed Ciaran Clark at centre-half and sent Murphy on, with the Magpies reverting to a 4-4-1-1 for the final stages.
• What we learned: Benitez clearly favours a five-man defence for encounters against tougher opposition – the question is, does the Newcastle manager deem a home match against Arsenal (the Magpies’ next opponents) as difficult a proposition as fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester City? Newcastle beat the Gunners on Tyneside back in April and, with Arsenal’s defence far from dependable right now, Benitez might decide to switch back to the 4-4-1-1 formation that brought him success against the north London side last season. Shelvey and Ritchie will surely walk back into the side if fit, with one of Clark or Federico Fernandez the likeliest to make way if Benitez decides to ditch the five-man defence.

Current Status: Fairly unsettled
Risk Areas: Centre-back, central midfield, wingers

Southampton

Starting XI (4-4-2): McCarthy; Bertrand, Hoedt, Vestergaard, Cedric; Hojbjerg, Lemina, Elyounoussi (Targett 73’), Redmond; Long (Austin 62’), Ings (Romeu 78’).

• What we saw: After a bright performance in defeat to Leicester, Mark Hughes named an unchanged side for the trip to Crystal Palace and was rewarded with his first three points of the season. Danny Ings was fit enough to play despite suffering from a blister and was once again joined by Shane Long in a two-man attack, with Mohamed Elyounoussi and Nathan Redmond providing width on the flanks. Charlie Austin was brought on for Long just after the hour and was to plough a lone furrow up front for the final stages of the match, with Hughes replacing Ings with an extra central midfielder – Oriel Romeu – in a bid to see the match out.
• What we learned: The wing-back system seems to have been consigned to the tactical dustbin as Hughes once again rolled out a 4-4-2. Given the positive performances of the last two matches and the win at Selhurst Park, changes will likely be at a minimum for the home match against Brighton in a fortnight’s time. Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini will surely have to play second fiddle to Long and Ings for the foreseeable future, while Stuart Armstrong wasn’t even in the matchday squad at the weekend and seems to be a poor fit for the 4-4-2 system Hughes is currently favouring. The switch to a flat back four also spells bad news for the likes of Maya Yoshida, Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens, whose first-team opportunities appear slim given that Hughes has shelved his three-man central defence.

Current Status: Fairly settled
Risk Areas: Central midfield, striker

Tottenham Hotspur

Starting XI (3-5-2): Vorm; Alderweireld (Llorente 81′), Sanchez, Vertonghen; Trippier, Eriksen, Dembele (Winks 86′), Alli, Davies (Rose 89′); Moura, Kane

• What we saw: Hugo Lloris missed Spurs’ defeat to Watford with a thigh injury, with Michel Vorm deputising in goal. Davinson Sanchez came back into the side as Mauricio Pochettino decided to play with wing-backs, with Eric Dier making way from the midfield. Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli played just ahead of Mousa Dembele in what was essentially a 3-1-4-2, with Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies providing the width on the flanks. Lucas Moura was Harry Kane’s support in a two-man attack.
• What we learned: A three-man central defence is a system that is taking some getting reacquainted to at Spurs, given the defeat yesterday and the fact that Pochettino abandoned the formation in the win over Fulham with the score still at 1-1. Spurs had beaten Manchester United less than a week earlier using a 4-2-3-1, and this tactic could well be the one that their head coach reverts to when Liverpool pay a visit in Gameweek 5. Dier is the likely candidate to step back into the double-pivot to give Dembele some assistance in screening the back four when Mohamed Salah et al come calling in a fortnight’s time. Moura is a notable beneficiary of the 3-5-2/3-1-4-2 in that he is often as advanced – perhaps even more so – than Kane up top, but his place in whichever system Pochettino sets up is now under its biggest threat of this season: Son Heung-min will return to the club following his Asian Games success, while Eric Lamela is hoping to be fit after the international break. Moura’s form, of course, means the shirt is currently his to lose. Trippier and Davies were the players entrusted with wing-back duties at Vicarage Road; in true Pochettino style, not one of Spurs’ four full-backs has played all of their league fixtures this season.

Current Status: Fairly settled
Risk Areas: Full-backs, central midfield

Watford

Starting XI (4-4-2): Foster; Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas; Hughes (Chalobah 85′), Doucoure, Capoue, Pereyra (Mariappa 90′); Gray (Success 70′), Deeney

• What we saw: An unchanged side for the fourth match in a row helped Watford to all three points at Vicarage Road, with Javi Gracia again placing his trust in a 4-4-2 system that features wingers Will Hughes and Roberto Pereyra played on their “weaker” sides and cutting in. Jose Holebas – who registered two more assists – and Daryl Janmaat provided ample width on the overlap from full-back, while Troy Deeney and Andre Gray continued in attack. Nathaniel Chalobah returned from injury as a second-half substitute.
• What we learned: It seems unlikely – injuries picked up over the international break notwithstanding – that Gracia will make many line-up changes for the visit of Manchester United in Gameweek 5, even with Chalobah fit and available for selection now. The recuperating Gerard Deulofeu and Tom Cleverley may come into the reckoning in a fortnight’s time, though the midfield pair and Chalobah will likely have to provide backup to a side that has hugely impressed in this campaign so far. Abdoulaye Doucoure and Etienne Capoue, indeed, look as good a central midfield pairing as any in the top flight on current form.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central midfield

West Ham United

Starting XI (4-2-3-1):  Fabianski; Fredericks, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell; Sanchez, Wilshere (Obiang 64′); Snodgrass (Yarmalenko 46′), Anderson, Antonio (Hernandez ’75); Arnautovic

• What we saw: Marko Arnautovic was fit to line up as the spearhead of the West Ham attack, with Michail Antonio, Robert Snodgrass and Felipe Anderson lining up behind him as Manuel Pellegrini once again rolled out a 4-2-3-1. Snodgrass was hooked at half-time for Andriy Yarmolenko, as Pellegrini rejigged his attacking midfield three behind Arnautovic to no avail. Javier Hernandez was brought on in the final 15 minutes to give the isolated Austrian some support in attack. Aaron Cresswell got the nod over Arthur Masuaku at left-back in Pellegrini’s only change to his starting XI, while Mark Noble returned from a back injury on the substitutes’ bench.
• What we learned: The Hammers are the only Premier League club without a point this season and uncertainty continues to plague Pellegrini’s team selections. While the front four have remained the same for the last two matches, that Snodgrass was substituted at half-time and that Antonio and Anderson have been trialled in different positions suggests the Chilean manager is still far from sure about his preferred system. Pellegrini favoured a 4-3-3 in pre-season, a formation that was abandoned perhaps prematurely after just one match at Liverpool, and he may be tempted to revisit that set-up for the tough fixtures that the Hammers are about to experience. Yarmolenko continues to be overlooked, meanwhile, despite the Irons’ struggles. The full-back department continues to be unsettled, with Cresswell making his first start of the season at Masuaku’s expense.

Current Status: Fairly unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-backs, wingers

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Starting XI (4-3-3):  Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Jonny; Costa (Bonatini 72′), Jota (Traore 62′); Jiminez (Vinagre 87′)

• What we saw:  Nuno Espirito Santo named an unchanged starting XI for the fourth match in a row, with Jota and Helder Costa once again flanking Raul Jimenez in attack. Adama Traore replaced Jota in the final half an hour and went on to score the game’s winner, while Costa was later substituted for Leo Bonatini. Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho were once more the deep-lying pair stationed in front of Willy Boly, Conor Coady and Ryan Bennett, with Leander Dendoncker again missing from the squad of 18. Matt Doherty and Jonny provided the width as Santo continued with his 3-4-3 set-up.
• What we learned: The threat posed by the versatile Dendoncker in central defence/midfield has yet to materialise, with Ryan Bennett – thought to be the player most at risk from the Belgian’s arrival – excelling at centre-half again. Jota and Costa started their fourth match in a row, though Traore furthered his candidacy for inclusion at the expense of one of that pair with the winning goal on Saturday. With Ivan Cavaleiro still injured, Traore for Costa/Jota in Gameweek 5 would seem to be the only possible change at this stage given the positive nature of Wolves’ performance at the London Stadium. It wouldn’t be a surprise, however, to see the former Middlesbrough winger once again appear as an impact substitute when Burnley visit Molineux in a fortnight’s time.

Current Status: Fairly settled
Risk Areas: Centre-half, wingers

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