Manuel Pellegrini’s rolls out a 4-4-2 as City sweep aside Villa at the Etihad. Arsene Wenger changes his lone striker for the third straight league match, Bertrand Traore benefits from Diego Costa’s absence, whilst Roberto Martinez starts with a 3-4-3 at home to the Hammers.

Arsenal

Starting XI: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny (Giroud 67), Coquelin, Ramsey, Ozil (Campbell 90), Sanchez, Welbeck (Flamini 85).

• Arsene Wenger made four changes from the side that lost 2-1 to Swansea for the crucial north London derby at White Hart Lane. David Ospina replaced the injured Petr Cech in goal, Nacho Monreal dropped to the bench as he had a slight calf problem, so Kieran Gibbs earned a recall, while Mohamed Elneny and Danny Welbeck came in for Joel Campbell and Olivier Giroud.
• The Gunners lined up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Elneny starting alongside Francis Coquelin at the base of midfield, seeing Aaron Ramsey shift to the right of the attacking midfield trio. Welbeck started as the lone striker, while Gibbs slotted in at left-back.
• Shortly after Coquelin’s sending off, Wenger brought on Giroud for Elneny – a change which saw Ramsey shift back to central midfield, Welbeck move to the right wing and Giroud operate as the lone striker. Following Alexis Sanchez’ equaliser, Wenger then introduced Mathieu Flamini for Welbeck in a defensive move to try and hold on for a point.
• Should Arsenal progress in the FA Cup tomorrow night, their next Premier League match will be on March 19 against Everton, with Saturday’s home clash against West Brom having to be rearranged. Cech will still be out for Gameweek 31, so Ospina should keep his place in goal, but Laurent Koscielny (calf) should be close to a return, possibly coming in for Per Mertesacker. Wenger may not opt for such a defensive midfield pairing in an easier fixture against either West Brom or Everton, so Ramsey could return to central midfield, with Elneny possibly dropping out. That could allow Campbell to return on the right, with Welbeck expected to keep his place as the lone striker.

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

Aston Villa

Starting XI: Guzan; Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Clark, Cissokho; Gueye, Westwood, Veretout (Bacuna 74); Agbonlahor (Gestede 70), Ayew (Sinclair 80).

• Remi Garde only made one adjustment from the team that lost 3-1 to Everton, with Jordan Veretout starting in place of Leandro Bacuna.
• Villa lined up in a 3-5-2 formation at the Etihad, although with Man City so dominant it ended up being more of a 5-3-2. Veretout slotted into central midfield alongside Idrissa Gueye and Ashley Westwood.
• Rudy Gestede entered the fray with 20 minutes remaining in a straight swap for Gabriel Agbonlahor, with Veretout replaced shortly after for Bacuna. Scott Sinclair then came on with 10 minutes left in a like-for-like substitution for Jordan Ayew.
• If Garde sticks with a three-man backline, the only possible change at the back could be to recall Jores Okore. Veretout and Bacuna look to be battling it out for one spot in midfield, although Westwood could also be at a slight risk of losing his starting spot. Gestede may also push for a recall up front when Villa entertain Tottenham on Sunday, with Agbonlahor’s place likely to be most under threat.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Strikers

Bournemouth

Starting XI: Boruc; Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels; Surman, Gosling; Ritchie (Distin 90), Afobe (Grabban 70), Gradel (Pugh 60); King.

• Eddie Howe was forced into making one change from the side that beat Southampton 2-0, with Dan Gosling earning a recall in place of the injured Harry Arter.
• Howe did make a tactical adjustment though, opting for a 4-1-4-1 formation at St James’ Park. Gosling started next to Andrew Surman in central midfield, with Matt Ritchie (right) and Max Gradel (left) afforded the flanks, allowing Josh King to tuck in behind lone striker Benik Afobe.
• Gradel was taken off on the hour mark as he continues to build up his match fitness, with Marc Pugh coming on in a straight swap. Lewis Grabban then replaced Afobe with 20 minutes remaining, with the final change coming on 90 minutes when Sylvain Distin was introduced in place of Ritchie as the Cherries looked to hold on to their lead.
• Should Arter (Achilles) be passed fit for ahead of Saturday’s home clash against Swansea, he could return in place of Gosling in central midfield. There’s also a chance he could return to the 4-1-4-1 formation but King’s weekend display suggests Howe will keep things as they are.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield

Chelsea

Starting XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Baba Rahman; Mikel, Matic (Fabregas 82); Willian, Oscar, Hazard (Loftus-Cheek 63); Traore (Remy 68).

• Guus Hiddink made three alterations for the visit of Stoke to Stamford Bridge, with Baba Rahman, John Obi Mikel and Willian returning in place of the injured duo Kenedy and Diego Costa, while Cesc Fabregas dropped to the bench.
• The Dutch boss kept faith in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, though, with Willian, Oscar and Eden Hazard forming the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Bertrand Traore. Mikel partnered Nemanja Matic in central midfield, while Baba Rahman started at left-back.
• Hiddink’s first substitution saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek come on for Hazard just after the hour mark. That change saw the Blues move to more of a 4-3-3 formation, with Oscar and Willian operating out wide. Traore then made way for Loic Remy shortly after in a straight swap, with Fabregas then coming on for Matic for the final few minutes.
• Given the Blues don’t have a league match until March 19, there appears a good chance that both John Terry (muscle) and Diego Costa (tendon) will be fit for the home fixture against West Ham. Terry’s return could see Rahman drop out of the starting XI, with Azpilicueta switching to left-back and Ivanovic to right-back. Fabregas could return in place of Matic in central midfield, while some rotation in the advanced midfield positions can’t be ruled out should Pedro return from his hamstring injury.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Defence, Right-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Central Striker

Crystal Palace

Starting XI: McCarthy; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Cabaye (Mutch 70), Jedinak, Ledley (Sako 82); Zaha, Adebayor (Gayle 82), Bolasie.

• Alan Pardew made four changes for the home fixture against Liverpool, with Alex McCarthy and Emmanuel Adebayor coming in for the injured Wayne Hennessey and Connor Wickham, while Pape Souare returned having completed his three-match suspension, replacing Martin Kelly. The final change saw Joe Ledley come in for Jordon Mutch.
• Palace lined up in the 4-2-3-1 formation on Sunday, with Yohan Cabaye starting in the number ten role. Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie were stationed on the flanks, with Adebayor the lone striker. Ledley and Mile Jedinak started at the base of midfield, while Souare slotted into his usual position at left-back.
• Pardew’s first substitution was an enforced one, with Cabaye picking up a slight knock. The Frenchman was replaced by Mutch in a straight swap with 20 minutes remaining. With just eight minutes left on the clock, Pardew brought on Bakary Sako and Dwight Gayle in place of Ledley and Adebayor, with Mutch dropping into a deeper role to accommodate Sako alongside Zaha and Bolasie in the advanced midfield positions.
• With Palace’s next league match not until March 19, when they entertain Leicester, it’s likely that Hennessey will be fit to return in goal. Likewise, Cabaye should also be fit to keep his place in the side. The former Newcastle midfielder could drop back into a deeper midfield role to allow Sako to start in the attacking midfield positions, with either Jedinak or Ledley dropping out of the side. With Wickham (knock) also expected back in time to face the Foxes, Adebayor may have to resort to bench-warming duties once again.

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

Everton

Starting XI: Robles: Stones (Besic 46), Jagielka, Funes Mori: Coleman, McCarthy, Barkley, Oviedo: Lennon (Niasse 75), Lukaku (Barry 89), Mirallas.

• Roberto Martinez only made one adjustment from the side that won 3-1 at Aston Villa for the home clash against West Ham, with the fit-again John Stones coming in for Gareth Barry.
• Stones’ inclusion saw Everton line up in a slightly unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation, with the defender part of a three-man backline alongside Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori. Seamus Coleman and Bryan Oviedo operated as wing-backs, with Ross Barkley starting alongside James McCarthy in central midfield. Aaron Lennon and Kevin Mirallas flanked central striker Romelu Lukaku.
• Following Mirallas’ first-half dismissal, Martinez made a change at half-time, with Muhamed Besic replacing Stones. That substitution saw the Toffees line up in more of a 4-2-2-1 formation, with Besic alongside McCarthy in central midfield. Barkley and Lennon supported Lukaku in attack. Oumar Niasse was then introduced for Lennon in a straight swap with 15 minutes left, while Barry replaced Lukaku with just a minute left as Everton tried to cling onto a 2-2 draw.
• Mirallas will serve a two-match ban following his second sending off of the season, so, as well as Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Chelsea, he’ll also miss the Gameweek 31 fixture against Arsenal. Barry could earn a recall, then, with Martinez possibly returning to his usual 4-2-3-1 formation. The likes of Niasse, Tom Cleverley, Gerard Deulofeu or Leon Osman could challenge for a place on the left wing, while Martinez faces a tricky decision in central defence should he revert back to a four-man defence, with Jagielka, Stones and Funes Mori battling it out for just two spots.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Left Flank

Leicester

Starting XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez (Amartey 85), Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton (Schlupp 46); Okazaki (King 46), Vardy.

• Claudio Ranieri only made one alteration for the trip to Vicarage Road, with the fit-again N’Golo Kante replacing Andy King.
• Kante returned in central midfield alongside Danny Drinkwater in the Italian’s standard 4-4-1-1 formation.
• Ranieri clearly wasn’t happy with his side’s first-half performance though, making a double substitution at the break. Andy King replaced Shinji Okazaki, and played slightly deeper than the Japan international just in front of Kante and Drinkwater in the middle of the park. The other change saw Jeffrey Schlupp take the place of Marc Albrighton on the left flank. With the Foxes leading 1-0 and with goalscorer Riyad Mahrez struggling with cramp, Ranieri brought on Daniel Amartey for the Algerian with five minutes remaining.
• With Schlupp nearing full fitness, there’s no doubt he’s putting pressure on Albrighton for a starting berth down the left flank. With lowly Newcastle the next opponents for Leicester a week tonight, it’s unlikely the more defensive-minded King will challenge Okazaki for a starting spot, with Leonardo Ulloa still his main rival for that position.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Left Wing, Support Striker

Liverpool

Starting XI: Mignolet; Flanagan (Coutinho 61), Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Milner, Emre Can, Henderson, Lallana; Firmino (Toure 88), Origi (Benteke 80).

• Jurgen Klopp only made two alterations from the starting XI that beat Man City 3-0, with Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno coming in for Kolo Toure and Nathaniel Clyne.
• The German boss stuck with the 4-2-3-1 system, with Sakho and Moreno slotting in at centre-back and left-back respectively. James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana formed the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Divock Origi.
• With the Reds trailing 1-0, Klopp made an attacking substitution on the hour mark, bringing on Philippe Coutinho for Jon Flanagan, though just a minute later, Milner was dismissed for a second yellow card. Liverpool didn’t play the final half hour with a recognised right-back, with Jordan Henderson covering when necessary. Christian Benteke then replaced Origi in a straight swap with 10 minutes left, with Toure coming on for Firmino with just a few minutes remaining in a defensive substitution with Liverpool probably content to take a draw at that point, given they were down to 10-men.
• While Klopp was likely to just be resting Clyne yesterday, he does have options in the full-back areas given how well Flanagan is performing following his return from injury. He and Moreno look set to battle it out for one of those positions moving forward. Given Liverpool don’t play in the league again until March 20, Martin Skrtel may have the chance to build up his fitness and challenge Sakho and Dejan Lovren for a starting berth in central defence. Klopp will likely have to find a place for Coutinho in the side, so Milner or Lallana’s starting berths look under pressure, while Daniel Sturridge may come into contention to start up front should he be fit come Gameweek 31.

Current Status: Fairly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Central Defence, Flanks, Central Striker

Man City

Starting XI: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy; Navas, Fernandinho, Toure (Garcia 80), Silva (Iheanacho 70); Bony (Sterling 62), Aguero .

• Manuel Pellegrini made three alterations for the home encounter against Aston Villa, with Bacary Sagna, Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony coming in for Pablo Zabaleta, Fernando and Raheem Sterling.
• Pellegrini switched from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-4-2 to accommodate Bony in attack alongside Sergio Aguero. David Silva started on the left of midfield, with Jesus Navas on the opposite flank, leaving Toure and Fernandinho in the middle of the park.
• Bony was the first player to be substituted, with Sterling coming on in his place just after the hour mark. That saw City return to the 4-2-3-1 system, with Sterling on the left, allowing Silva to slot into the number ten role. Kelechi Iheanacho came on for Silva shortly after in a straight swap, while youngster Manu Garcia took over from Toure in central midfield with 10 minutes remaining.
• Pellegrini continues to rotate at right-back, and although Aleksandar Kolarov surprisingly didn’t get the start on Saturday – with Clichy having played the last few matches – the Serbian still looks a threat for the left-back position. Likewise, Fernando remains a strong option behind Fernandinho and Toure in central midfield, while Sterling could push for a recall in place of either Navas or Bony for the trip to Norwich on Saturday, depending on what formation the Chilean opts for.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Central Midfield, Flanks

Man United

Starting XI: De Gea; Darmian (Fosu-Mensah 83), Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Herrera (Schneiderlin 62), Carrick, Lingard (Depay 75), Mata, Martial, Rashford.

• Louis van Gaal made four changes for the trip to the Hawthorns, with the fit-again Matteo Darmian and Chris Smalling replacing Guillermo Varela and Timothy Fosu-Mensah. Elsewhere, Michael Carrick and Jesse Lingard came in for Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay.
• United started in their standard 4-2-3-1 formation, with Carrick stationed alongside Ander Herrera at the base of midfield. Lingard, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial formed the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Marcus Rashford. In defence, Smalling and Darmian came back in at centre-back and right-back respectively.
• Van Gaal waited until just after the hour mark to make his first substitution despite Mata being sent off after only 26 minutes. That first change saw Schneiderlin come on for Herrera in a straight swap, with Depay then replacing Lingard out wide with 15 minutes remaining. The final substitution saw Fosu-Mensah come on for Darmian at the back.
• Mata will serve his one-match ban against West Ham in the FA Cup, so the Spaniard will be available to face Man City in United’s next league match on March 20. Rotation remains likely in central midfield with Carrick, Herrera, Schneiderlin and the fit-again Marouane Fellaini battling for two positions, while Martial could be an option to lead the line at the Etihad, with Rashford’s starting place not totally assured. Depay could then return on the left wing. The back four of Darmian, Smalling, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo looks to be van Gaal’s first choice defence for the time being at least.

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

Part two of Lineup Lessons, covering the remaining ten teams, will be published later this week.