Our Gameweek 1 predicted line-ups won’t be finalised until Thursday/Friday, after the pre-match press conferences have taken place.
Until then, however, here’s our early thoughts on all 20 starting XIs for the opening weekend.
This article will concentrate mostly on the line-ups themselves. If you’re after a more detailed summary of the injury news, check out the link below:
ARSENAL
The above line-up is the one that was sent out in the Community Shield, with one exception: Declan Rice in for Bruno Guimaraes. This is purely based on the assumption that the ice pack on Bruno’s thigh is cause for concern, although we may learn later in the week that the Brazilian’s half-time withdrawal was planned.
Even if Bruno misses out, there are alternatives to Rice, who Mikel Arteta may not want to risk. Kai Havertz in midfield and Viktor Gyokeres up top, for example, is something we witnessed in the August 9 friendly against Borussia Dortmund. Eberechi Eze, slightly ahead of other England/Spain internationals in terms of match fitness, could also be an option.
Rice, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi have all had just one pre-season run-out, and no more than 45 minutes in length. It’s still worth mentioning that Arteta started Rice and Saka in Gameweek 1 after Euro 2024, although the pair’s underlying fitness issues this summer may cause them to be handled more carefully this time around.
ASTON VILLA
Alejandro Garnacho should be back after a concussion to start on the left.
Ross Barkley or Lamare Bogarde are options to come in for Joao Gomes after the midfielder picked up a calf issue.
There’s a headache up top, with Brian Madjo out, Tammy Abraham limping out of Aston Villa’s final pre-season friendly on Saturday, and Ollie Watkins not kicking a ball in pre-season. Watkins may be pressed into action if Abraham doesn’t recover.
Like Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emi Martinez have yet to feature since the World Cup. Martinez and Konsa have been strongly linked with moves away recently, too.
It remains to be seen if incoming goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is in place in time for Gameweek 1.
BOURNEMOUTH
Tyler Adams, Juanlu Sanchez, Julio Soler, David Brooks and new striker Alvaro Rodriguez are all due back in training this week but after missing chunks of pre-season, you can’t imagine they’ll be anything other than substitutes.
The above line-up is the one that Marco Rose sent out on Saturday, with one exception: Alex Scott in for Alex Toth. Scott was suspended for the defeat to Mainz but surely returns, unless he’s been snapped up by a suitor by the weekend!
BRENTFORD
Assuming the rumours are true about a three-month absence for Sepp van den Berg, we can probably expect the same team that demolished Eintracht Frankfurt to be sent out against Tottenham Hotspur.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
With Brighton short on wingers, Diego Gomez and Maxim De Cuyper look set to be the makeshift pairing out wide – and that’s only if Gomez isn’t injured himself. He limped down the tunnel after his withdrawal on Saturday.
Ibrahim Osman and Zadok Yohanna are the inexperienced, if more natural, alternatives on the flanks. There’s also the option of sticking Georginio Rutter wide and bringing in Charalampos Kostoulas up top.
We still have Thursday’s UEFA Conference League tie against Tromso to come, of course. That could prove problematic if Fabian Hurzeler decides to rotate at the weekend.
With Lewis Dunk building fitness and Pascal Struijk close to a return, there’s a degree of uncertainty at centre-half.
CHELSEA
Saturday’s line-up to face Real Sociedad looked quite ‘Gameweek 1’, although Xabi Alonso will be forced into at least one change. Wesley Fofana, who started at the weekend, will miss the first two Gameweeks through suspension after his red card late last season.
That could see Reece James move back from midfield to centre-half, with Romeo Lavia coming into midfield. It’d be a surprise to see Enzo Fernandez from the start, amid ongoing speculation over his future and only half an hour of pre-season game-time to his name.
Another option, of course, is to not replace Fofana at centre-half and instead move to a 4-2-3-1, a formation that Alonso started the summer with. James would be a right-back in this scenario, unless Alonso desires to keep him in midfield. In which case, the versatile Marco Palestra could switch to right-back, with Jorell Hato or Pep Chavarria brought in at left-back.
COVENTRY CITY
Again, the concluding pre-season line-up looks set to be a big help.
Frank Onyeka limped out of Friday’s win over Monaco; we’ll hopefully get an update in Lampard’s presser later this week.
Victor Torp or Gus Hamer could replace him, as it’s probably too soon for Jack Rudoni; he was expected to feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly last Saturday after months out.
CRYSTAL PALACE
We’ll see if Dean Henderson’s post-match limp is cause for concern when we hear from Pierre Sage later this week. If there is an issue, then Walter Benitez will replace the England international.
Jean–Philippe Mateta and Yeremy Pino didn’t play a part in any of the Eagles’ pre-season friendlies. They were late back to training following World Cup participation and were unused substitutes on Saturday. Bench duty surely beckons for them.
Daniel Munoz similarly only had 43 minutes of pre-season action. With rumours linking him with an exit, and Palace recruiting right-sided defensive options Oscar Mingueza and Anan Khalaili, the writing looks to be on the wall for him at Selhurst Park. Khalaili, incidentally, was signed too late to be involved against Freiburg last weekend, so we’ll wait to hear from Sage about his match-readiness.
Another new signing, Dwight McNeil, was thrown straight in at the weekend. It’s likely between him and returning loanee Evann Guessand for a spot, with Pino short on minutes. Eddie Nketiah could also moonlight as a ’10’.
EVERTON
It may have to be the rookie pairing of Hayden Hackney and Harrison Armstrong in midfield again, should James Garner and Christian Norgaard fail to recover in time. Neither senior player has kicked a ball in pre-season.
There are decisions to be made in one of the wide-midfield slots and at right-back, too.
Tyrique George and Tyler Dibling have impressed in pre-season and one of them could get their chance on the wing. Dibling, indeed, started the final pre-season friendly, with Merlin Rohl at right-back.
But would you be at all surprised if David Moyes went for the more conservative option of Jake O’Brien at full-back and Rohl further up the wing?
FULHAM
This was the side that Alvaro Arbeloa sent out for the final pre-season friendly against Stuttgart, although there was a behind-closed-doors match featuring other squad members on the same day.
Probably the main question mark is over Cesar Palacios, who is very inexperienced at senior level but who was thrust straight into the starting XI for what looked like the last two first-team friendlies. He is Arbeloa’s boy, however, having worked with him in Spain. Kevin is, of course, an alternative.
Gonzalo Garcia has gone straight in as a starting forward in the last three friendlies. He looks set to get the nod over Rodrigo Muniz.
If you’re wondering why no Joachim Andersen – he will miss Gameweek 1 as he completes a three-match ban carried over from last season.
HULL CITY
The Hull squad is changing and growing by the week, and the Gameweek 2/3 line-ups could look quite different to what we see on the opening weekend.
As it is, eight of the 11 starters in the final pre-season friendly came up from the Championship in 2025/26.
There does look like there’s a slow changing of the guard, however. At centre-half, for instance, John Egan and Semi Ajayi got the nod to start Saturday’s draw with Nice but new captures Lucas Herrington and Nobel Mendy got gentle introductions off the bench. The latter especially, as the club record signing, surely threatens the starting XI imminently.
Lucas Gourna-Douath could replace fellow new boy Jens Hjerto-Dahl, who still looks a little raw.
IPSWICH TOWN
Abdul Fatawu and Luis Florentino both missed out on the win over Union Berlin, with local media reporting that Fatawu wasn’t risked because of a “knock”. There was no reason given for Florentino’s unavailability.
Marcelino Núñez was the beneficiary of Florentino’s absence, and would make way if the latter is 100% fit.
If Fatawu is available and new signing Julio Enciso is deemed ready to start, that could spell trouble for Jack Clarke and Sindre Walle Egeli. Both players started the final pre-season friendly but are likely on borrowed time.
Gary O’Neil’s ‘three into two’ dilemma at centre-half has, for the time being, been solved by sticking Dara O’Shea at right-back.
LEEDS UNITED
As was the case with many Premier League clubs, Leeds’ final pre-season line-up looked very much like what we’d expect to see in Gameweek 1.
James Justin continued at left wing-back in the absence of Gabriel Gudmundsson, who may miss the first two Gameweeks.
And with Noah Okafor only recently back from a post-World Cup break, Brenden Aaronson was used as the left-sided ’10’.
LIVERPOOL
Rinse and repeat for Liverpool, who sent out what looked very much like a first XI for their win over Como.
The key question mark is probably over how ready Jeremie Jacquet is to start a competitive match. He was impressive on Sunday but that was his first action since February due to injury, and he was limited to 45 minutes. Ronald Araujo is the deputy, if needs be.
Cody Gakpo continues to be linked with a move elsewhere but keeps starting for the Reds regardless.
Rio Ngumoha may have to start on the right, as he did against Como, but there is the option of moving Dominik Szoboszlai there and bringing in Alexis Mac Allister – if he’s fit enough after a late return from the World Cup – in the middle. Victor Munoz is another option on the right but his manager’s limited use of him in pre-season suggest bench duty for now.
MANCHESTER CITY
Does Enzo Maresca make any changes after his side were walloped in the Community Shield?
He might have to, as Jeremy Doku was pictured with an ice pack on his calf after being hooked at half-time. We await further word on that. Forgotten man Jack Grealish, interestingly, came on for Doku at the interval. Rayan Ait-Nouri is also a left-wing option, if needed.
Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson and Erling Haaland got their first post-World Cup starts on Sunday, with none of them lasting more than an hour as planned.
Marc Guehi may have to miss out again, given that a) Maresca likes an inverting full-back and b) Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias seem to be their new boss’s trusted lieutenants.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Unlike some other managers, Michael Carrick actually might make a tweak a two from the final pre-season friendly line-up.
Bryan Mbeumo, surely, comes back; he had started twice already last week before being benched at the weekend. Matheus Cunha, who looked off the pace, may miss out.
It could be any one of Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui or Leny Yoro at right-back. The latter has featured there in pre-season.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle’s starting XI may be one of the trickiest to predict in Gameweek 1.
Not only is there a new manager at the helm, but he split his squad in two as Newcastle played twice on the final weekend of pre-season friendlies.
On top of that, there are new arrivals and some mixed pre-season form to weigh up.
Dan Burn and Lewis Miley have only had 45 pre-season minutes apiece, so new boy Amir Dedic may be parachuted straight in at right-back.
If Jacob Ramsey is needed in the middle (Joelinton is out, Miley is short on match fitness, Joe Willock is an injury concern, and Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur would be a very green partnership), then we may see Yoane Wissa behind Will Osula – a tactic Matthias Jaissle used in the Everton friendly. Nick Woltemade is also an option in the hole.
Harvey Barnes and Bazoumana Toure are locked in a battle on the left.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
The starting XI that Oliver Glasner sent out in the Bayer Leverkusen game last Wednesday looked very ‘first team’, and is the one you see here.
Chris Wood returned from injury in what was more of a second-string XI on Saturday, so could feasibly threaten a start up top. We saw him play together with Igor Jesus in a friendly against Sporting in late July, so it’s not necessarily an either/or.
James McAtee is a possible alternative to Xaver Schlager.
SUNDERLAND
There’s probably just one spot up for discussion going into Gameweek 1, as it looks very likely that Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete will be on the bench at best.
Instead, the question mark is over Thomas Meunier. He missed out on Sunderland’s win over Stade Rennais on Saturday with a back problem.
If he fails to recover, Trai Hume moves back to right-back. That’s what he did at the weekend, with Chemsdine Talbi brought in out wide.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Unlike Jaissle at Newcastle, Roberto De Zerbi went more ‘first team XI’ and ‘reserve side’ for Spurs’ two weekend friendlies.
On top of the longer-term injuries, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie haven’t kicked a ball in pre-season, be it due to a late return from the World Cup or medical issues.
James Maddison and Dominic Solanke have also had minimal involvement, so even if they are passed fit to be in the matchday squad, you can’t imagine they’ll start against Brentford.
Matheus Fernandes, in the ‘B’ team on Sunday, could be the one to get into the Gameweek 1 XI. He has had his own fitness problems this summer but got through 90 minutes and may oust Lucas Bergvall.
Unless Savinho signs quickly and is deemed match-ready, it may have to be Mikey Moore on the right wing.
