In this new series, we will take a weekly look at the expected lineups of the top English Premier League clubs. Knowing which players are expected to play each weekend is a crucial element for every active FPL manager, especially in a league that is growing increasingly hard to predict, in great part as a result of larger squad depths and player participation in European/International games. Each week we will cover the predicted lineups for the last gameweek and compare it to the actual lineups and then set out our predicted lineups for the upcoming gameweek. The lineups read from Left to Right i.e. Left Back listed first.
For the moment, we will consider the lineups of the top-5 teams in the Premier League as it stands at the start of the upcoming gameweek. The players from these teams are going to be more popular with Fantasy Managers. We might analyse more lineups at a later stage, based on the interest shown in this series. So as far as gameweek 10 goes, we will take a look at confirmed starting lineups for the top-5 teams in gameweek 9 and predict the lineups for the top 5 for gameweek 10.
For much of the injury news mentioned in these pieces, we consult, among other club-specific sources, the excellent Twitter account and website of Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery). Lineups are written down from left to right, as seen from the goalkeeper’s perspective.
The top 5 at the start of Gameweek 10
| GAMEWEEK 10 | |
| 1 | Liverpool |
| 2 | Manchester City |
| 3 | Leicester City |
| 4 | Chelsea |
| 5 | Arsenal |
Starting lineups in Gameweek 9
LIVERPOOL (away vs. Manchester United, 1-1)
- Formation: 4-3-3
- Goalkeeper: Alisson
- Defense: Robertson, Matip, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold
- Midfield: Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum
- Attack: Origi, Firmino, Mané
- Made subs (all in 2nd half): Oxlade > Origi, Lallana > Henderson, Keita > Wijnaldum
- Goals: Lallana (Robertson)
MANCHESTER CITY (away vs. Crystal Palace, 0-2)
- Formation: 3-5-2
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defense: Mendy, Fernandinho, Rodri, Cancelo
- Midfield: David Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva
- Attack: Sterling, Jesus
- Made subs (all late in 2nd half): Stones > David Silva, Foden > De Bruyne
- Goals: Jesus (Bernardo Silva), David Silva (Sterling)
ARSENAL (away vs. Sheffield United, 1-0)
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Leno
- Defense: Kolasinac, David Luiz, Sokratis, Chambers
- Defensive midfield: Xhaka, Guendouzi
- Attacking Midfield: Saka, Willock, Pepe
- Attack: Aumabeyang
- Made subs: Ceballos > Willock (half-time), Lacazette > Xhaka
- , Martinelli > Pepe
- Goals: none
LEICESTER (home vs. Burnley, 2-1)
- Formation: 4-1-4-1
- Goalkeeper: Schmeichel
- Defense: Chilwell, Soyuncu, Evans, Ricardo Pereira
- Defensive midfield: Ndidi
- Midfield: Harvey Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Ayoze Perez
- Attack: Vardy
- Made subs (all in 2nd half): Demarai Gray > Perez, Praet > Maddison, Morgan > Barnes
- Goals: Vardy (Barnes), Tielemans (Barnes)
CHELSEA (home vs. Newcastle, 1-0)
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Kepa
- Defense: Alonso , Tomori, Zouma, Azpilicueta
- Defensive midfield: Jorginho, Barkley
- Midfield: Hudson-Odoi , Mount, Willian
- Attack: Abraham
- Made subs: Kovacic > Barkley (end of 1st half), Pulisic > Mount, Reece James > Hudson-Odoi
- Goals: Alonso (Hudson-Odoi)
Predicted line-ups for gameweek 10
LIVERPOOL (home vs. Spurs)
- Formation: 4-3-3
- Goalkeeper: Allison
- Defense: Robertson, Matip, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold
- Midfield: Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum
- Attack: Salah, Firmino, Mané
- Ruled out: Clyne, Shaqiri
- Doubtful: Matip, Alexander-Arnold
- Notes: Both Matip and Alexander-Arnold missed the mid-week clash with Belgian side RC Genk on Wednesday, due to a knee problem and illness (virus), respectively. Both could be fit for the Spurs game, though Matip looks a bit more doubtful. Against Genk, Matip was replaced by Lovren and Milner filled in at right-back for Alexander Arnold. Robertson was withdrawn with a slight knock in the 2nd half v Genk but reports are he’ll be fine for Sunday. Of our expected starting outfield players, only Van Dijk, Fabinho, Mane and Salah played 90 minutes v Genk. Oxlade-Chamberlain advanced his claims for a starting place after his 2 goals v Genk.
MANCHESTER CITY (home vs. Aston Villa)
- Formation: 4-3-3
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defense: Mendy, Stones, Otamendi, Walker
- Midfield: David Silva, Fernandinho (DM), De Bruyne
- Attack: Bernardo Silva, Aguero, Sterling
- Ruled out: Laporte, Rodri, Sané, Zinchenko (knee operaton – out for 5-6 weeks)
- Notes: With Stones and Otamendi back in the mix and getting minutes against Atalanta on Tuesday, we should see them form the central pair against Villa. With Rodri out injured for 2 to 4 weeks, Fernandinho will likely slot back into the defensive midfield position. Mendy was relieved by Cancelo after 71 minutes, while Walker played the whole game after missing out in gameweek 9. Difficult to say which 2 of Mendy, Walker & Cancelo will make up the 2 wing-backs. The two Silvas were rested mid-week, making a starting position more likely, especially for David. KDB was taken off after 67 minutes to rest him. Aguero is a killer at home (and away, to be fair) and we don’t expect Pep to bench him two PL games in a row. Sterling looks in red-hot form so likely to start with no CL next week.
LEICESTER CITY (away vs. Southampton)
- Formation: 4-1-4-1
- Goalkeeper: Schmeichel
- Defense: Chilwell, Soyuncu, Evans, Ricardo Pereira
- Defensive midfield: Ndidi
- Midfield: Harvey Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Ayoze Perez
- Attack: Vardy
- Ruled out: none
- Doubtful: Maddison
- Notes: Playmaker James Maddison is the only FPL-relevant doubt for the Foxes. He suffered a foot injury before the gameweek 9 game against Burnley, but Brendan Rodgers stated he would be happy if the young Englishman could play about an hour in that game. He ended up playing 76 minutes and is expected to feature from the start on Saturday. Harvey Barnes provided the assist for each goal against Burnley and should start again. Perez probably feels the pressure from Praet and Gray, but we expect him to start as well.
CHELSEA (away vs. Norwich)
- Formation: 4-3-3
- Goalkeeper: Kepa
- Defense: Alonso, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta
- Midfield: Mount, Jorginho, Kovacic
- Attack: Pulisic , Abraham, Willian
- Ruled out: Loftus-Cheek
- Doubtful: Kanté, Barkley
- Notes: At left back, Alonso has been very good for the Blues after losing his spot to Emerson at the start of the season. He scored the winner against Newcastle in gameweek 9 and seems assured of a starting spot this weekend although will come under pressure from Emerson who played well prior to his injury and is now fit again. In attack, it might be possible that Lampard gives Hudson-Odoi a rest after a run of many (successful) games in a short period of time just after coming back form injury. Seeing as Ross Barkley is an injury doubt, we could see Pulisic filling in on the left wing after a good role as substitute against Ajax on Wednesday.
ARSENAL (home vs. Crystal Palace)
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Leno
- Defense: Kolasinac, David Luiz, Sokratis, Bellerin
- Defensive midfield: Xhaka, Guendouzi
- Midfield: Saka, Ceballos, Pepe
- Attack: Aubameyang
- Ruled out: none
- Doubtful: none
- Notes: Emery is a big fan of rotation and he’s known to rest plenty of players during Europa League games. None of the players that started against Sheffield last Monday were part of the starting lineup against Vitoria de Guimaraes on Thursday. In theory, Tierney and Bellerin are Arsenal first-choice fullbacks and both players started mid-week. We expect Kolasinac to return to the left-back slot instead of Tierney for the Palace game, but we might see Bellerin replace Chambers on the opposite side. Pepe came on after 75 minutes, with 1-2 scoreline in favour of Vitoria, and turned it around with 2 nice goals from free-kicks, so he looks certain to start on Saturday – just hope it’s not heavy cold rain during the match as he doesn’t appear to be at his best then! Ceballos came on at the start of the second half and the central midfield spot in front of the double pivot will be between the Spaniard and Joe Willock, who played there during the first half in gameweek 9 before being replaced by that same Spaniard at the start of the second half. Aubameyang was rested entirely and will start for the Gunners against Palace. Lacazette started against Vitoria in his return from injury and will soon be pushing Saka (a cheaply priced midfielder in FPL) or Pepe for a place.
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