This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.
MATCHES (EST)
- Tuesday, 1:00 pm: Sheffield United vs. West Bromwich Albion
- Tuesday, 1:00 pm: Wolverhampton vs. Arsenal
- Tuesday, 3:15 pm: Manchester United vs. Southampton
- Tuesday, 3:15 pm: Newcastle United vs. Crystal Palace
- Wednesday, 1:00 pm: Burnley vs. Manchester City
- Wednesday, 1:00 pm: Fulham vs. Leicester City
- Wednesday, 2:30 pm: Leeds United vs. Everton
- Wednesday, 3:15 pm: Aston Villa vs. West Ham United
- Wednesday, 3:15 pm: Liverpool vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- Thursday, 3:00 pm: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea
Sheffield United vs. West Bromwich Albion
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Ben Osborn | SHU | M | Calf | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Enda Stevens | SHU | M/D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Grady Diangana | WBA | F/M | Strain | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Jack Robinson | SHU | D | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Jack O'Connell | SHU | D | Knee | OUT | 3/6/2021 |
Sander Berge | SHU | M | Hamstring | OUT | 3/20/2021 |
Sheffield United Projected Lineup (3-5-2 v. West Bromwich Albion): Aaron Ramsdale (GK), Ethan Ampadu (DC), Chris Basham (DC), John Egan (DC), Jayden Bogle (ML), John Fleck (MC), Oliver Norwood (MC), John Lundstram (MC), George Baldock (MR), Oliver McBurnie (FW), Oliver Burke (FW)
Notes: When healthy, McBurnie has started in recent months and he returned to the bench over the weekend. Otherwise, Chris Wilder keeps things mostly the same after a couple solid performances.
West Bromwich Albion Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 at Sheffield United): Sam Johnstone (GK), Kieran Gibbs (DL), Dara O'Shea (DC), Semi Ajayi (DC), Darnell Furlong (DR), Robert Snodgrass (AML), Jake Livermore (DMC), Romaine Sawyers (DMC), Matheus Pereira (AMC), Karlan Grant (AMR), Mbaye Diagne (FW)
Notes: Sam Allardyce opts to the squad he used in the second half against Fulham, which means a start for newcomer Diagne and a return to a four-man back line.
Wolverhampton vs. Arsenal
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | ARS | F/M | Personal | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Dani Ceballos | ARS | M | Calf | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Pablo Mari | ARS | D | Calf | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Bukayo Saka | ARS | M | Hip | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Kieran Tierney | ARS | D | Calf | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Rayan Ait-Nouri | WOL | D | Groin | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Jonny | WOL | M/D | Knee | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Fernando Marcal | WOL | M/D | Abdomen | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Mathew Ryan | ARS | G | Hip | OUT | 2/14/2021 |
Raul Jimenez | WOL | F | Head | OUT | 2/20/2021 |
Wolverhampton Projected Lineup (3-4-3 v. Arsenal): Rui Patricio (GK), Willy Boly (DC), Conor Coady (DC), Max Kilman (DC), Nelson Semedo (ML), Leander Dendoncker (MC), Ruben Neves (MC), Ki-Jana Hoever (MR), Pedro Neto (FWL), Adama Traore (FWR), Willian Jose (FW)
Notes: Wolves may not change anything, but Traore could come into the XI for Daniel Podence, who received back-to-back starts after returning from a calf injury. Neves also returns to the XI for Joao Moutinho.
Arsenal Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 at Wolverhampton): Bernd Leno (GK), Cedric Soares (DL), Rob Holding (DC), David Luiz (DC), Hector Bellerin (DR), Granit Xhaka (DMC), Thomas Partey (DMC), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (AML), Emile Smith-Rowe (AMC), Bukayo Saka (AMR), Alexandre Lacazette (FW)
Notes: Aubameyang and Saka were pictured in training Monday, which could move both back into the XI. Martin Odegaard is also an option, while Nicolas Pepe, Gabriel Martinelli and Willian are on standby.
Manchester United vs. Southampton
Injury Reportb | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Scott McTominay | MUN | M | Illness | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Oriol Romeu | SOU | M | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Ibrahima Diallo | SOU | M | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Nathan Tella | SOU | F/M | Strain | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Jannik Vestergaard | SOU | D | Knee | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Kyle Walker-Peters | SOU | D | Quadriceps | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Brandon Williams | MUN | D | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/8/2021 |
Marcos Rojo | MUN | D | Calf | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Phil Jones | MUN | D | Knee | OUT | 2/14/2021 |
Theo Walcott | SOU | F/M | Hamstring | OUT | 2/14/2021 |
Mohammed Salisu | SOU | D | Strain | OUT | 3/6/2021 |
Michael Obafemi | SOU | F | Strain | OUT | 3/20/2021 |
William Smallbone | SOU | M | Knee | OUT | 5/23/2021 |
Manchester United Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 v. Southampton): David de Gea (GK), Luke Shaw (DL), Harry Maguire (DC), Eric Bailly (DC), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR), Fred (DMC), Paul Pogba (DMC), Anthony Martial (AML), Bruno Fernandes (AMC), Marcus Rashford (AMR), Edinson Cavani (FW)
Notes: Bailly gives Victor Lindelof a break at center-back, while Pogba moves to defensive midfield to allow Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to go with his big guns, as Martial, Rashford and Cavani all start. Mason Greenwood is also an option to come in after coming off the bench over the weekend.
Southampton Projected Lineup (4-4-2 at Manchester United): Alex McCarthy (GK), Ryan Bertrand (DL), Jan Bednarek (DC), Jack Stephens (DC), James Ward-Prowse (DR), Moussa Djenepo (ML), Nathan Redmond (MC), Oriol Romeu (MC), Stuart Armstrong (MR), Che Adams (FW), Danny Ings (FW)
Notes: Southampton have massive questions to answer because of injuries across the pitch. Ward-Prowse is expected to continue at right-back, while Djenepo and Armstrong play on the wings and Redmond is forced into a central midfield role. If Romeu isn't ready, youngster Alex Jankewitz could be thrust into the XI, while Adams is back alongside Ings up front.
Newcastle United vs. Crystal Palace
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Paul Dummett | NEW | D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Ryan Fraser | NEW | M | Illness | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
Nathaniel Clyne | CRY | D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
James McArthur | CRY | M | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/2/2021 |
James McCarthy | CRY | M | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Jeffrey Schlupp | CRY | M | Hamstring | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
James Tomkins | CRY | D | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Martin Kelly | CRY | D | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Connor Wickham | CRY | F | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Federico Fernandez | NEW | D | Hamstring | OUT | 2/15/2021 |
Nathan Ferguson | CRY | M | Knee | OUT | 2/22/2021 |
Wayne Hennessey | CRY | G | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/22/2021 |
Jamaal Lascelles | NEW | D | Hamstring | OUT | 2/27/2021 |
Mamadou Sakho | CRY | D | Thigh | OUT | 2/27/2021 |
Newcastle United Projected Lineup (4-4-1-1 v. Crystal Palace): Karl Darlow (GK), Jamal Lewis (DL), Fabian Schar (DC), Ciaran Clark (DC), Javier Manquillo (DR), Miguel Almiron (ML), Jonjo Shelvey (MC), Isaac Hayden (MC), Jeff Hendrick (MR), Allan Saint-Maximin (AMC), Callum Wilson (FW)
Notes: Clark comes in for the injured Jamaal Lascelles, but the biggest news is the return of Saint-Maximin to the starting XI for Ryan Fraser, who is dealing with an illness. After a surprise win, everything else could stay the same.
Crystal Palace Projected Lineup (4-4-2 at Newcastle United): Vicente Guaita (GK), Patrick van Aanholt (DL), Gary Cahill (DC), Cheikhou Kouyate (DC), Joel Ward (DR), Eberechi Eze (ML), Luka Milivojevic (MC), Jairo Riedewald (MC), Andros Townsend (MR), Wilfried Zaha (FW), Christian Benteke (FW)
Notes: Riedewald may be forced into the XI because of injury, while others like Ward and Benteke also return. Van Aanholt keeps his spot after Palace secured a week and clean sheet over the weekend.
Burnley vs. Manchester City
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Ashley Barnes | BRN | F | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Josh Brownhill | BRN | M | Foot | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Charlie Taylor | BRN | D | Hamstring | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Chris Wood | BRN | F | Hamstring | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Nathan Ake | MCI | D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Sergio Aguero | MCI | F | Illness | OUT | 2/7/2021 |
Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | M | Hamstring | OUT | 2/21/2021 |
Burnley Projected Lineup (4-4-2 v. Manchester City): Nick Pope (GK), Erik Pieters (DL), Ben Mee (DC), James Tarkowski (DC), Matthew Lowton (DR), Dwight McNeil (ML), Jack Cork (MC), Ashley Westwood (MC), Johann Berg Gudmundsson (MR), Matej Vydra (FW), Jay Rodriguez (FW)
Notes: The fitness of Ashley Barnes will determine who starts up front in the absence of Chris Wood, as he seems likely to return to the first XI instead of a Vydra/Rodriguez attack. The status of Charlie Taylor remains a mystery, while Gudmundsson is also an option to start for Robbie Brady on a short week.
Manchester City Projected Lineup (4-3-3 at Burnley): Ederson (GK), Joao Cancelo (DL), Ruben Dias (DC), John Stones (DC), Kyle Walker (DR), Rodri (MC), Ilkay Gundogan (MC), Bernardo Silva (MC), Raheem Sterling (FWR), Phil Foden (FWL), Riyad Mahrez (FW)
Notes: More rotation is expected for City and a starting XI similar to the one used against West Brom is most likely. When City won this matchup 5-0 earlier in the season, Gabriel Jesus didn't have a shot on target while Mahrez bagged a hat-trick.
Fulham vs. Leicester City
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Tom Cairney | FUL | M | Knee | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Wesley Fofana | LEI | D | Hamstring | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Terence Kongolo | FUL | D | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Jamie Vardy | LEI | F | Hip | OUT | 2/7/2021 |
Timothy Castagne | LEI | D | Hamstring | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Wilfred Ndidi | LEI | M | Hamstring | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Wes Morgan | LEI | D | Back | OUT | 3/6/2021 |
Dennis Praet | LEI | M | Hamstring | OUT | 4/10/2021 |
Fulham Projected Lineup (3-4-3 v. Leicester City): Alphonse Areola (GK), Tosin Adarabioyo (DC), Ola Aina (DC), Joachim Andersen (DC), Antonee Robinson (ML), Andre Zambo Anguissa (MC), Harrison Reed (MC), Kenny Tete (MR), Ademola Lookman (FWL), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (FWR), Ivan Cavaleiro (FW)
Notes: Cavaleiro's return to the starting XI pushes Alexsandar Mitrovic to the bench, while Reed returns to not put too much load on Mario Lemina after he started last weekend for the first time since Gameweek 14. Decordova-Reid scored last match, but it's a good spot to get some rest with Tete returning to the XI.
Leicester City Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 at Fulham): Kasper Schmeichel (GK), James Justin (DL), Caglar Soyuncu (DC), Jonny Evans (DC), Ricardo Pereira (DR), Nampalys Mendy (DMC), Youri Tielemans (DMC), Harvey Barnes (AML), James Maddison (AMC), Cengiz Under (AMR), Ayoze Perez (FW)
Notes: Pereira is in line for his first Premier League start of the season after coming on for the injured Timothy Castagne on Sunday against Leeds United, while Soyuncu could come in to give Wesley Fofana a break. Cengiz Under could also receive a start and Kelechi Iheanacho remains an option to replace Perez up top.
Leeds United vs. Everton
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Jordan Pickford | EVE | GK | Abdominal | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Patrick Bamford | LEE | F | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Raphinha | LEE | F/M | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Bernard | EVE | F/M | Not Injury Related | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Fabian Delph | EVE | M | Hamstring | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Jean-Philippe Gbamin | EVE | M | Achilles | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Niels Nkounkou | EVE | D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Rodrigo | LEE | F/M | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/8/2021 |
Allan | EVE | M | Hamstring | OUT | 2/8/2021 |
Robin Koch | LEE | D | Knee | OUT | 2/14/2021 |
Gaetano Berardi | LEE | D | Knee | OUT | 2/20/2021 |
Adam Forshaw | LEE | M | Hip | OUT | 2/20/2021 |
Diego Llorente | LEE | D | Strain | OUT | 2/27/2021 |
Leeds United Projected Lineup (4-1-4-1 v. Everton): Illan Meslier (GK), Ezgjan Alioski (DL), Liam Cooper (DC), Pascal Struijk (DC), Luke Ayling (DR), Kalvin Phillips (DMC), Jack Harrison (ML), Mateusz Klich (MC), Stuart Dallas (MC), Raphinha (MR), Patrick Bamford (FW)
Notes: Klich comes into the starting XI for the injured Rodrigo, who he replaced Sunday against Leicester City, while Struijk starts again at center-back because Robin Koch and Diego Llorente remain sidelined.
Everton Projected Lineup (4-3-3 at Leeds United): Robin Olsen (GK), Lucas Digne (DL), Mason Holgate (DC), Yerry Mina (DC), Seamus Coleman (DR), Abdoulaye Doucoure (MC), Alex Iwobi (MC), Andre Gomes (MC), Richarlison (FWL), James Rodriguez (FWR), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (FW)
Notes: Holgate takes over for Keane at center-back, while Carlo Ancelotti opts to return to a 4-3-3 with Iwobi in the midfield. Of course, the return of Ben Godfrey could push Digne back to the midfield, while Gylfi Sigurdsson is also an option.
Aston Villa vs. West Ham United
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Wesley Moraes | AVL | F | Knee | OUT | 2/6/2021 |
Kortney Hause | AVL | D | Foot | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Arthur Masuaku | WHU | D | Knee | OUT | 3/20/2021 |
Aston Villa Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 v. West Ham United): Emiliano Martinez (GK), Matt Targett (DL), Tyrone Mings (DC), Ezri Konsa (DC), Matty Cash (DR), John McGinn (DMC), Douglas Luiz (DMC), Jack Grealish (AML), Ross Barkley (AMC), Bertrand Traore (AMR), Ollie Watkins (FW)
Notes: Barkley playing so many minutes in a condensed schedule may be sub-optimal, but he seems likely to keep his spot in the starting XI after scoring in Saturday's 1-0 win over Southampton. If he is rested, Grealish likely moves centrally to allow Anwar El Ghazi to start on the left wing.
West Ham United Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 at Aston Villa): Lukasz Fabianski (GK), Aaron Cresswell (DL), Angelo Ogbonna (DC), Craig Dawson (DC), Vladimir Coufal (DR), Declan Rice (DMC), Tomas Soucek (DMC), Pablo Fornals (AML), Said Benrahma (AMC), Jarrod Bowen (AMR), Michail Antonio (FW)
Notes: Despite losing 3-1 to Liverpool on Sunday, manager David Moyes has been pretty tight with this group of starters. That being said, Andriy Yarmolenko and Manuel Lanzini are viable replacements in the attack even though Mark Noble came on against Liverpool.
Liverpool vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Naby Keita | LIV | M | Strain | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Sadio Mane | LIV | F/M | Strain | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Alexis Mac Allister | BHA | F/M | Upper Leg | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Joel Veltman | BHA | D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/3/2021 |
Joel Matip | LIV | D | Ankle | OUT | 2/7/2021 |
Fabinho | LIV | M/D | Strain | OUT | 2/7/2021 |
Diogo Jota | LIV | F | Knee | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Alireza Jahanbakhsh | BHA | F | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Tariq Lamptey | BHA | M/D | Hamstring | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Danny Welbeck | BHA | F | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Virgil van Dijk | LIV | D | Knee | OUT | 3/6/2021 |
Florin Andone | BHA | F | Knee | OUT | 3/6/2021 |
Joe Gomez | LIV | D | Knee | OUT | 4/3/2021 |
Liverpool Projected Lineup (4-3-3 v. Brighton & Hove Albion): Alisson Becker (GK), Andrew Robertson (DL), Nathaniel Phillips (DC), Jordan Henderson (DC), Georginio Wijnaldum (MC), Thiago Alcantara (MC), Curtis Jones (MC), Sadio Mane (FWL), Mohamed Salah (FWR), Roberto Firmino (FW)
Notes: The center-back injury issues continue, which forces Henderson to keep his spot on the back line, with manager Jurgen Klopp unlikely to pair Phillips and Rhys Williams together. Mane remains a question and Jones could come into the XI after taking over for James Milner last match, though Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is an option.
Brighton & Hove Albion Projected Lineup (3-4-2-1 at Liverpool): Robert Sanchez (GK), Lewis Dunk (DC), Adam Webster (DC), Dan Burn (DC), Solomon March (ML), Ben White (MC), Yves Bissouma (MC), Pascal Gross (MR), Adam Lallana (AMC), Leandro Trossard (AMC), Neal Maupay (FW)
Notes: Graham Potter seems to have something with his current core and he'll hope to roll over the same group from the Tottenham win, even on a short week. However, if Veltman and Mac Allister miss out, Burn and Lallana will be the first options to come back into the XI, though that'll change the formation.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea
Injury Report | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Pos | Injury | Status | Est. Return |
Serge Aurier | TOT | D | Undisclosed | GTD | 2/4/2021 |
Giovani Lo Celso | TOT | M | Strain | OUT | 2/7/2021 |
Dele Alli | TOT | M | Undisclosed | OUT | 2/13/2021 |
Harry Kane | TOT | F | Ankle | OUT | 2/21/2021 |
Sergio Reguilon | TOT | D | Strain | OUT | 2/28/2021 |
Tottenham Hotspur Projected Lineup (3-4-3 at Chelsea): Hugo Lloris (GK), Joe Rodon (DC), Toby Alderweireld (DC), Eric Dier (DC), Ben Davies (ML), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (MC), Tanguy Ndombele (MC), Matt Doherty. (MR), Son Heung-Min (FWL), Steven Bergwijn (FWR), Lucas Moura (FW)
Notes: Gareth Bale cannot possibly be asked to start two matches in a matter of days, which could allow Lucas Moura to come in and start, either centrally in place of the injured Harry Kane or on the wing while Bergwijn plays in the middle again. Moussa Sissoko and Matt Doherty have to battle for the spot on the wing, which isn't ideal.
Chelsea Projected Lineup (3-4-2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur): Edouard Mendy (GK), Cesar Azpilicueta (DC), Thiago Silva (DC), Antonio Rudiger (DC), Ben Chilwell (ML), Jorginho (MC), Mateo Kovacic (MC), Callum Hudson-Odoi (MR), Hakim Ziyech (AMC), Mason Mount (AMC), Olivier Giroud (FW)
Notes: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ There's a real chance Marcos Alonso keeps his spot, but we're assuming Chilwell hasn't lost his job just yet. Ziyech is also an option after being rested completely over the weekend. Giroud could return to the XI to only be subbed off at the break for Christian Pulisic, which seems to be the strategy the last couple matches.