Every week this new series will take a look at the predicted starting line-ups for clubs in the English Premier League. Knowing which players are expected to play each weekend is a crucial element for every active Fantasy Football manager. The starting XIs for the EPL clubs is increasingly hard to predict, due to congested fixture calendars and the quality of squad depths as a result of the vast amounts of money the EPL clubs generate.
For the moment, we will consider the lineups of the top-10 teams in the Premier League as it stands by the start of the upcoming gameweek, divided over two articles (this part 1 covers the teams in positions 1 to 5, part 2 covers the lineups for positions 6 to 10). We might analyse the lineups of all teams at a later stage, based on the interest shown in this series. As far as gameweek 13 goes, we will take a look at confirmed starting lineups for the top-10 teams in gameweek 12, compare those to our predictions for that gameweek, and then predict their lineups for gameweek 13.
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 (so in defence, for example, from left-back to right-back).
Factors potentially affecting lineups per team in the build-up to GW13
| Liverpool | International break |
| Leicester City | International break |
| Chelsea | International break |
| Manchester City | International break |
| Sheffield United | International break |
The Premier League at the start of gameweek 13 (positions 1 to 5)
| 1 | Liverpool | 34 pts |
| 2 | Leicester City | 26 pts |
| 3 | Chelsea | 26 pts |
| 4 | Manchester City | 25 pts |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 17 pts |
Lineups for gameweek 12: Predicted vs. confirmed
LIVERPOOL (home vs. Manchester City, 3-1)
| PREDICTED GAMEWEEK 12 | CONFIRMED GAMEWEEK 12 | ||
| Form. | 4 – 3 – 3 | 4 – 3 – 3 | |
| FOR | Mané, Firmino, Salah | Mané, Firmino, Salah | |
| MID | Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Henderson | Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Henderson | |
| DEF | Robertson, Van Dijk, Lovren, A.-Arnold | Robertson, Van Dijk, Lovren, A.-Arnold | |
| GK | Alisson | Alisson | |
| Subs | /// | (2nd half) Milner > Henderson, Oxlade > Firmino, Gomez > Salah | |
| Goals | /// | Fabinho, Salah (Robertson), Mane (Henderson) |
LEICESTER CITY (home vs. Arsenal, 2-0)
| PREDICTED GAMEWEEK 12 | CONFIRMED GAMEWEEK 12 | ||
| Form. | 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 | 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 | |
| FOR | Vardy | Vardy | |
| MID | H. Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Ayoze | H. Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Ayoze | |
| DEF MID | Ndidi | Ndidi | |
| DEF | Chilwell, Soyuncu, Evans, Pereira | Chilwell, Soyuncu, Evans, Pereira | |
| GK | Schmeichel | Schmeichel | |
| Subs | /// | (2nd half) Ayoze > D. Gray, Praet > H. Barnes | |
| Goals | /// | Vardy (Tielemans), Maddison (Vardy) | |
CHELSEA (home vs. Crystal Palace, 2-0)
| PREDICTED GAMEWEEK 12 | CONFIRMED GAMEWEEK 12 | ||
| Form. | 4 – 3 – 3 | 4 – 3 – 3 | |
| FOR | Pulisic, Abraham, Willian | Pulisic, Abraham, Willian | |
| MID | Kovacic, Mount, Kanté | Kovacic, Mount, Kanté | |
| DEF | Emerson, Tomori, Zouma, Azpilicueta | Emerson, Tomori, Zouma, R. James | |
| GK | Kepa | Kepa | |
| Subs | /// | (2nd half) Batshuayi > Abraham, Hudson-Odoi > Pulisic, Gilmour > Mount | |
| Goals | /// | Abraham (Willian), Pulisic |
MANCHESTER CITY (away vs. Liverpool)
| PREDICTED GAMEWEEK 12 | CONFIRMED GAMEWEEK 12 | ||
| Form. | 4 – 3 – 3 | 4 – 3 – 3 | |
| FOR | Sterling, Aguero, Mahrez | Sterling, Aguero, Bernardo Silva | |
| MID | De Bruyne, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva | Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne | |
| DEF | Mendy, Fernandinho, Stones, Walker | Angeliño, Fernandinho, Stones, Walker | |
| GK | Ederson | Bravo | |
| Subs | /// | (2nd half) Jesus > Aguero | |
| Goals | /// | Bernardo Silva |
SHEFFIELD UNITED (away vs. Spurs, 1-1)
| PREDICTED GAMEWEEK 12 | CONFIRMED GAMEWEEK 12 | ||
| Form. | /// | 5 – 3 – 2 | |
| FOR | /// | Mousset, McGoldrick | |
| MID | /// | Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram | |
| DEF | /// | Stevens, O’Connell, Egan, Basham, Baldock | |
| GK | /// | Henderson | |
| Subs | /// | (2nd half) Mousset > Robinson, Freeman > McGoldrick | |
| Goals | /// | Baldock (McGoldrick) |
Predicted lineups for gameweek 13
LIVERPOOL (away vs. Crystal Palace)
| Form. | 4 – 3 – 3 |
| FOR | Mané, Firmino, Origi |
| MID | Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Henderson |
| DEF | Milner, Van Dijk, Lovren, Alexander-Arnold |
| GK | Alsison |
| Ruled out | Clyne, Matip |
| Doubtful | Salah, Robertson, Gomez |
| Notes | In regard to the current doubts in his squad (and especially in regard to Salah), Jurgen Klopp has stated Liverpool need to be sensible about the current injuries. Salah could sit this one out. Last time Salah missed a PL game (GW9), it was Origi who started in his place, in which case it just remains to be seen whether he starts on the right wing or switches wings with Mané. If Robertson misses out, Milner is likely to replace him. Lovren will continue to replace the injured Matip. Henderson and Van Dijk had some minor issues over the past two weeks, but both are ready to feature against Palace. |
LEICESTER CITY (away vs. Brighton)
| Form. | 4 – 1 – 4 – 1 |
| FOR | Vardy |
| MID | H. Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Ayoze Perez |
| DEF MID | Ndidi |
| DEF | Chilwell, Söyüncü, Evans, Ricardo Pereira |
| GK | Schmeichel |
| Ruled out | None |
| Doubtful | None |
| Notes | Seeing as Brendan Rodgers has no injuries of relevance to his starting eleven, we don’t expect him to change his winning team for the match at Brighton. Evans and Maddison were in the news with seemingly very minor issues over the international break, but both are expected to feature from the start. |
CHELSEA (away vs. Manchester City)
| Form. | 4 – 2 – 3 – 1 |
| FOR | Abraham |
| MID | Pulisic, Mount, Willian |
| DEF MID | Kovacic, Kanté |
| DEF | Emerson, Tomori, Zouma, Azpilicueta |
| GK | Kepa |
| Ruled out | Loftus-Cheek, Rüdiger |
| Doubtful | Hudson-Odoi, Barkley, Pulisic |
| Notes | Emerson is expected to keep his place at the cost of Alonso, while on the opposite side, captain Azpilicueta should replace James after being rested for GW12. In the middle, Lampard has an abundance of choice: Mount, Kovacic, Kanté, Jorginho, and even Willian. We expect the return to fitness of Kanté means Jorginho is out of the starting eleven. Pulisic got a minor hip injury in GW12 and did not travel with the USA national team over the international break. Lampard has stated he is ready to feature against the reigning champions. |
MANCHESTER CITY (home vs. Chelsea)
| Form. | 4 – 3 – 3 |
| FOR | Sterling, Aguero, Mahrez |
| MID | David Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne |
| DEF | Angeliño, Fernandinho, Stones, Walker |
| GK | Ederson |
| Ruled out | Zinchenko, Sané, Laporte, Bernardo Silva (suspended) |
| Doubtful | None |
| Notes | Ederson has been pictured in training over the break, so he is expected to return in place of Bravo. Mendy could feature at left-back, but Angeliño was one of the better City players in GW12 versus Liverpool. Cancelo could replace Walker on the opposite side, but we see the Englishman starting. Fernandinho will probably continue as a central defender after disappointing displays by Otamendi in the past months. Rodri and De Bruyne should keep their place in midfield, while David Silva could be replacing Gundogan in the starting lineup. Up front, Sterling and Aguero will likely be joined by Mahrez to replace Bernardo Silva. Jesus is fit, but we would be surprised to see him start against Chelsea. |
SHEFFIELD UNITED (home vs. Manchester United)
| Form. | 5 – 3 – 2 |
| FOR | McGoldrick, Mousset |
| MID | Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram |
| DEF | Stevens, O’Connell, Egan, Basham, Baldock |
| GK | Moore |
| Ruled out | Henderson (Can’t play against parent club), |
| Doubtful | Egan |
| Notes | Goalkeeper Henderson is contractually unable to face his parent club; his likely replacement is Moore. We expect the Blades to start with the same successful eleven as in GW12. Central defender Egan is the only doubt. Manager Wilder has stated that they will do anything to get him fit for the game against United, that it’s going to be a last-minute call, and that Jagielka will be his replacement in case he doesn’t make it in time. |
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