Branislav Ivanovic is benched as Chelsea start with a wing-back system away at Hull City. Ronald Koeman also opts for a three-man central midfield for Everton’s clash with Palace, while Pep Guardiola tinkers with his tactics mid-match as City lose at the Lane.
Arsenal
Starting XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Xhaka (Elneny 71), Cazorla; Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi (Oxlade-Chamberlain 71); Sanchez.
- Arsene Wenger made one change from the side that beat Chelsea 3-0 for the trip to Burnley, with Granit Xhaka coming in for the injured Francis Coquelin.
- Xhaka started alongside Santi Cazorla in the double-pivot in Wenger’s standard 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alexis Sanchez continuing in the central striker role for the Gunners.
- Wenger made a double substitution after 71 minutes with the match still goalless, introducing Mohamed Elneny and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in place of Xhaka and Alex Iwobi in straight swaps.
- After registering another victory, Wenger is likely to stick with a similar starting XI for the home clash against Swansea City after the international break, providing none of his players pick up any injuries over the next 10 days. Coquelin is expected to miss that match due to his knee injury, so Xhaka should keep his starting berth in central midfield.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield
Bournemouth
Starting XI: Boruc; A Smith, Francis, S Cook, Daniels; Surman, Arter; Stanislas, Wilshere (Gosling 73), Ibe (King 62); Wilson (Afobe 90).
- Eddie Howe decided to name the same team that beat Everton 1-0 for the trip to Vicarage Road.
- Howe stuck with the 4-1-4-1 formation, then, with Harry Arter and Jack Wilshere operating in midfield, in front of Andrew Surman in the defensive anchor role.
- With the match level at 1-1, Howe firstly turned to Josh King, with the Norwegian replacing Jordon Ibe shortly after the hour mark. King played on the right side of midfield, with Junior Stanislas switching to the left. Dan Gosling then took over from Wilshere in the middle of the park for the final 17 minutes, with Benik Afobe handed a brief run-out in place of Callum Wilson for the final few minutes.
- After scoring as a substitute, King may push for a recall for the home fixture against Hull City following the international break. Ibe’s place perhaps looks the most vulnerable. Otherwise, the Cherries starting XI has a pretty settled look to it. Harry Arter is set for scans on a hamstring problem, with Gosling likely to deputise if he misses out.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks
Burnley
Starting XI: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Hendrick, Marney, Defour (Arfield 62), Boyd; Vokes.
- Sean Dyche unsurprisingly named the same starting XI that beat Watford 2-0 for the visit of Arsenal to Turf Moor.
- Dyche stuck with the 4-1-4-1 formation, then, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Steven Defour, Jeff Hendrick and George Boyd forming the four-man midfield behind lone striker Sam Vokes.
- Dyche only made one substitution, with Scott Arfield replacing Defour after 62 minutes in a straight swap.
- With Andre Gray still suspended for the trip to Southampton, Dyche may consider naming an unchanged side once again. Arfield does offer an alternative in the wide positions, though, and could push for a recall.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Flanks
Chelsea
Starting XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses (Pedro 85), Matic, Kante, Alonso; Willian (Chalobah 89), Hazard (Oscar 81); Costa.
- Antonio Conte made two changes for the trip to the KCOM Stadium, with Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses starting in place of Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas.
- Those changes led to a change of formation, with Conte opting for a 3-4-3 system against the Tigers. Cesar Azpilicueta joined David Luiz and Gary Cahill in the three-man backline, with Moses and Alonso operating as wing-backs. Willian and Eden Hazard were stationed on either side of lone striker Diego Costa.
- Conte once again made all of his substitutions during the latter stages of the match, with Oscar, Pedro and Nathaniel Chalobah entering the fray in place of Hazard, Moses and Willian.
- Following the 2-0 victory, Conte is expected to stick with the same formation for the home clash against Leicester City. John Terry (ankle) should be fit to return for that match, so he could return in central defence, with Azpilicueta then perhaps taking over from Moses at right wing-back. Ivanovic may struggle to find a way back into the starting XI, though Moses will need to be assessed after picking up a hamstring problem.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Right Wing-Back
Crystal Palace
Starting XI: Mandanda; Kelly, Tomkins, Delaney, Ward; Ledley, McArthur (Cabaye 79); Puncheon, Zaha, Townsend (Lee Chung-yong 90); Benteke.
- Alan Pardew made one alteration from the side that beat Sunderland 3-2 for the clash against Everton, with the fit-again Wilfried Zaha returning in place of Yohan Cabaye.
- Zaha operated on the right wing for the Eagles, with Jason Puncheon in the number ten role and Andros Townsend on the left flank in the 4-2-3-1 formation.
- Pardew only made two late substitutions, with Cabaye taking over from James McArthur at the base of midfield for the final 11 minutes, while Lee Chung-yong got a few minutes at the death in place of Townsend.
- Having picked up 10 points from their last four matches, Pardew is expected to keep faith in the majority of his starting XI. Scott Dann (hamstring) may be close to a return when the Eagles host West Ham in Gameweek 8, and could replace either Damien Delaney or James Tomkins in central defence should he be passed fit. Cabaye should also be able to build up his fitness levels during the international break after a disrupted start to the season; he could challenge Joe Ledley for a starting spot in central midfield.
Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield
Everton
Starting XI: Stekelenburg; Coleman, Jagielka, Williams, Oviedo (Funes Mori 81); Barry, Gueye; Bolasie, Barkley (Mirallas 77), Cleverley; Lukaku.
- Ronald Koeman made one alteration for the visit of Crystal Palace to Goodison Park, with Tom Cleverley earning a start at the expense of Kevin Mirallas.
- The selection of Cleverley meant the Toffees rolled out a 4-3-3 formation. With Ross Barkley drifting centrally from the right, Seamus Coleman was able to push forward from the back. Koeman used Idrissa Gueye and Cleverley playing in front of Gareth Barry, with Yannick Bolasie on the left flank behind lone striker Romelu Lukaku.
- Barkley was replaced in a straight swap by Mirallas with 13 minutes remaining. Koeman then brought on Ramiro Funes Mori in place of Bryan Oviedo at left-back to introduce some more height to the back four to help deal with Palace’s aerial threat.
- With Everton facing a tough trip to Man City after the international break, Koeman may stick with Cleverley in a more defensive looking midfield lineup. But to offer some width, he may consider recalling Mirallas or Gerard Deulofeu in place of Barkley, to operate with more of a balanced set-up. Leighton Baines should have a good chance of recovering from a hamstring injury to return at left-back in place of Bryan Oviedo.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Flanks, Attacking Midfield
Hull City
Starting XI: Marshall; Meyler, Davies, Livermore, Robertson; Clucas (Huddlestone 81), Mason, Henriksen (Hernandez 72); Snodgrass, Mbokani, Diomande (Maloney 63).
- Caretaker manager Mike Phelan made three changes for the home clash against Chelsea, with David Meyler coming in for the suspended Ahmed Elmohamady, while Markus Henriksen and Dieumerci Mbokani started in place of Tom Huddlestone and Abel Hernandez.
- Meyler filled in at right-back for the Tigers, while Henriksen joined Ryan Mason in central midfield in the 4-1-4-1 formation. Mbokani led the line in his first Premier League start for the club.
- Adama Diomande was the first player to be replaced, making way for Shaun Maloney in a straight swap shortly after the hour mark. In an attacking change, Phelan brought on Hernandez for Henriksen after 72 minutes, with the Uruguayan joining Mbokani in attack in more of a 4-4-2 formation as Hull looked to come back from a two-goal deficit. Phelan’s final substitution saw Huddlestone take over from Sam Clucas in central midfield for the final nine minutes.
- After completing his one-match ban, Elmohamady is likely to return at right-back for the trip to Bournemouth in Gameweek 8. Phelan has started to integrate his new signings over the last few weeks, with Huddlestone no longer assured a start in central midfield. Henriksen and Meyler look viable options in that position, while Maloney is an alternative to Diomande on the left. Mbokani didn’t really impress against the Blues, so Hernandez may push for a recall against the Cherries in attack.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Midfield, Left Wing, Lone Striker
Leicester City
Starting XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Drinkwater, Amartey, Albrighton (Gray 66) , Slimani (Ulloa 78), Vardy (Okazaki 66).
- Claudio Ranieri made one alteration for the home encounter against Southampton, with the fit-again Kasper Schmeichel returning in goal in place on Ron-Robert Zieler.
- Ranieri rolled out the 4-4-2 system once again then, with Daniel Amartey continuing in the middle of the park alongside Danny Drinkwater, while Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani once again combined in attack.
- With the match goalless, Ranieri introduced Demarai Gray and Shinji Okazaki after 66 minutes, with Marc Albrighton and Vardy making way in straight swaps. His final change saw Leonardo Ulloa take over from Slimani in attack for the final 12 minutes.
- Ranieri spoke after the 0-0 draw about having to rotate his squad more after they produced a weary performance against Saints. That may not alter his selection too much for the trip to Chelsea after the international break but looks certain to be an issue moving forward as the Champions League resumes later this month. Gray or Ahmed Musa offer a viable alternative to Albrighton on the left, while Okazaki may come into contention to start at Stamford Bridge. Drinkwater picked up a minor knock yesterday but should be fine to face the Blues. Nampalys Mendy and Andy King do offer viable alternatives to Amartey, though.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Left Wing
Liverpool
Starting XI: Karius; Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner; Henderson, Wijnaldum (Can 84); Firmino (Origi 84), Coutinho, Lallana (Sturridge 23); Mane.
- Jurgen Klopp only made one adjustment from the side that beat Hull City 5-1 for the trip to south Wales, with the fit-again Dejan Lovren returning in place of Ragnar Klavan.
- Lovren started alongside Joel Matip in central defence, while the rest of the Liverpool side remained the same in the 4-3-3 formation, with Roberto Firmino again starting in the “false nine” role.
- Klopp was forced into making an early substitution, though, after Adam Lallana picked up a groin injury. He was replaced by Daniel Sturridge after 23 minutes, who took over as the central striker, with Firmino moving out to the left of the front three. Philippe Coutinho dropped into Lallana’s position on the left of the three-man midfield. Then, having taken a 2-1 lead, Klopp brought on Emre Can and Divock Origi in place of Georginio Wijnaldum and Firmino in straight swaps for the final six minutes.
- While Lallana (groin) has been withdrawn from the England squad, along with Nathaniel Clyne (knee), both players appear to stand a good chance of being fit to face Man United after the international break. If Lallana were to be unavailable, Coutinho or Can could play in midfield, with Sturridge an option to start if the Brazilian is used in a slightly deeper role. Klopp’s options at right-back are limited, with Can a possibility in that position, or James Milner, with Alberto Moreno then slotting in at left-back. Dejan Lovren also picked up a groin problem at the weekend, but that is also believed to be minor. In all likelihood, then, the Liverpool starting XI could stay unchanged for Gameweek 8.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Left Wing, Central Striker
Man City
Starting XI: Bravo; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov; Fernando (Gundogan 53), Fernandinho, Silva; Navas (Iheanacho 65), Aguero, Sterling (Sane 87).
- Pep Guardiola made three alterations for the trip to White Hart Lane, with Jesus Navas coming in for the injured Kevin De Bruyne, while Pablo Zabaleta and Fernando started in place of Bacary Sagna and Ilkay Gundogan.
- Navas started in his usual position on the right wing, although he did play slightly more narrowly than we’re accustomed to seeing in the usual 4-1-4-1 formation. Fernando was stationed in front of the back four, allowing Fernandinho to play further up the pitch in central midfield. Zabaleta slotted in at right-back for City.
- But with his side 2-0 down, Guardiola made a change after just 53 minutes, with Gundogan coming on for Fernando. Kelechi Iheanacho was then brought on for Navas 12 minutes later, seeing City switch to a midfield diamond. Fernandinho played at the base, with Gundogan and David Silva on the sides and Raheem Sterling at the tip behind Sergio Aguero and Iheanacho. Leroy Sane was handed a brief cameo late on in place of Sterling.
- Zabaleta got the nod at right-back against Spurs, but rotation remains an issue in that position, with Sagna having started four of the seven league matches so far. Gael Clichy could return for Aleksandar Kolarov on the opposite side of defence after the latter turned in another unconvincing display. De Bruyne (hamstring) may not be fit to face Everton after the international break, so Gundogan may earn a recall in place of Fernando, who failed take his chance to impress yesterday. Likewise, with Sane likely to work on his fitness over the next fortnight, he may come into contention to replace Navas. Raheem Sterling will need to be monitored after withdrawing from the England squad due to a minor injury, whilst Nolito is back from suspension and offers another option on the flank.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks
Part Two of Lineup Lessons, featuring the remaining 10 teams, will be published tomorrow.
