Premier League Projected Lineups: Gameweek 12 [Updated]

This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.

Last update: 1:00 p.m. EST on Fri., Dec. 11

MATCHES (EST)

• Friday, 3:00 pm: Leeds United vs. West Ham United
• Saturday, 7:30 am: Wolverhampton vs. Aston Villa
• Saturday, 10:00 am: Newcastle United vs. West Bromwich Albion
• Saturday, 12:30 pm: Manchester United vs. Manchester City
• Saturday, 3:00 pm: Everton vs. Chelsea
• Sunday, 7:00 am: Southampton vs. Sheffield United
• Sunday, 9:15 am: Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham Hotspur
• Sunday, 11:30 am: Fulham vs. Liverpool
• Sunday, 2:15 pm: Arsenal vs. Burnley
• Monday, 2:15 pm: Leicester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Arsenal v. Burnley

Projected Lineup (4-3-3 v. Burnley): Bernd Leno (GK), Kieran Tierney (DL), Rob Holding (DC), Gabriel (DC), Hector Bellerin (DR), Mohamed Elneny (MC), Granit Xhaka (MC), Bukayo Saka (MC) Alexandre Lacazette (FW), Willian (FWR), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (FWL)

Notes: Arsenal go to a 4-3-3 formation looking for goals against Burnley. Elneny is back in the XI for the injured Partey, but Mikel Arteta could turn to anyone in order to hope for three points.

Aston Villa at Wolverhampton

Projected Lineup (4-3-3 v. Wolves): Emiliano Martinez (GK), Matt Targett (DL), Tyrone Mings (DC), Ezri Konsa (DC), Matty Cash (DR), Douglas Luiz (MC), John McGinn (MC), Conor Hourihane (MC), Jack Grealish (FWL), Trezeguet (FWR), Ollie Watkins (FW)

Notes: Villa are back after a week off and while a few guys could return, none of them are expected to start.

Brighton & Hove Albion at Leicester City

Projected Lineup (3-4-1-2 v. Leicester): Mathew Ryan (GK), Joel Veltman (DC), Lewis Dunk (DC), Adam Webster (DC), Solomon March (ML), Yves Bissouma (MC), Ben White (MC), Tariq Lamptey (MR), Pascal Gross (AMC), Danny Welbeck (FW), Aaron Connolly (FW)

Notes: Brighton could continue with the same XI as last week because while they're losing matches, they're at least competitive. Trossard will hope to crack the rotation and White always has the chance to move back to center-back.

Burnley at Arsenal

Projected Lineup (4-4-2 v. Arsenal): Nick Pope (GK), Matthew Lowton (DR), Ben Mee (DC), James Tarkowski (DC), Charlie Taylor (DL), Josh Brownhill (MC), Robbie Brady (MR), Ashley Westwood (MC), Dwight McNeil (ML), Chris Wood (FW), Jay Rodriguez (FW)

Notes: Sean Dyche continues with the same squad as last week unless Gudmundsson is healthy enough to replace Brady on the wing. Rodriguez appears to have stolen the starting role from Ashley Barnes.

Chelsea at Everton

Projected Lineup (4-3-3 v. Everton): Edouard Mendy (GK), Reece James (DR), Thiago Silva (DC), Kurt Zouma (DC), Ben Chilwell (DL), N'Golo Kante (MC), Mateo Kovacic (MC), Mason Mount (MC), Christian Pulisic (FWR), Timo Werner (FWL), Olivier Giroud (FW)

Notes: Rested, Chelsea can use their ideal starting XI, though there are still questions in central midfield after Havertz started over Kovacic and Jorginho last weekend. Lampard may go more defensive with Kovacic over Havertz, who may be rested.

Crystal Palace v. Tottenham Hotspur

Projected Lineup (4-4-2 v. Tottenham): Vicente Guaita (GK), Patrick van Aanholt (DL), Gary Cahill (DC), Cheikhou Kouyate (DC), Nathaniel Clyne (DR), Eberechi Eze (ML), James McArthur (MC), Luka Milivojevic (MC), Andros Townsend (MR), Wilfried Zaha (FW), Christian Benteke (FW)

Notes: There's a chance Roy Hodgson runs the same XI back as last match following a 5-1 win, but it's hard to see Townsend being dropped for Schlupp in back-to-back games.

Everton v. Chelsea

Projected Lineup (3-4-3 v. Chelsea): Jordan Pickford (GK), Ben Godfrey (DC), Michael Keane (DC), Mason Holgate (DC), Tom Davies (ML), Alex Iwobi (MR), Allan (MC), Abdoulaye Doucoure (MC), Gylfi Sigurdsson (AMC), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (FW), Richarlison (FW)

Notes: Carlo Ancelotti continues to swap Holgate and Mina at center-back, and the absence of James Rodriguez brings Sigurdsson into the XI.

Fulham v. Liverpool

Projected Lineup (3-4-1-2 v. Liverpool): Alphonse Areola (GK), Joachim Andersen (DC), Ola Aina (DC), Tosin Adarabioyo (DC), Antonee Robinson (ML), Bobby Decordova-Reid (MR), Andre Zambo Anguissa (MC), Harrison Reed (MC), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AMC), Ademola Lookman (FW), Ivan Cavaleiro (FW)

Notes: Scott Parker uses the same XI for the third-straight match after holding strong against Man City, which will likely be the strategy against Liverpool.

Leeds United v. West Ham United

Projected Lineup (3-3-3-1 v. West Ham): Illan Meslier (GK), Luke Ayling (DC), Liam Cooper (DC), Kalvin Phillips (DC), Mateusz Klich (MC), Ezgjan Alioski (MC), Stuart Dallas (MC), Jack Harrison (AML), Rodrigo (AMC), Raphinha (AMR), Patrick Bamford (FW)

Notes: Special thanks to Marcelo Bielsa for giving us the lineup early. Leeds are forced to a 3-3-3-1 given their lack of defensive options, which moves Phillips into a more defensive role.

Leicester City v. Brighton & Hove Albion

Projected Lineup (3-4-2-1 v. Brighton): Kasper Schmeichel (GK), Jonny Evans (DC), Wesley Fofana (DC), Christian Fuchs (DC), Marc Albrighton (MR), James Justin (ML), Nampalys Mendy (MC), Youri Tielemans (MC), James Maddison (AMC), Ayoze Perez (AMC), Jamie Vardy (FW)

Notes: There's a chance Ndidi comes back in for Mendy, but Brendan Rodgers could decide to keep things the same, which means another start for Perez after scoring last match. 

Liverpool at Fulham

Projected Lineup (4-3-3 v. Fulham): Alisson Becker (GK), Andrew Robertson (DL), Joel Matip (DC), Fabinho (DC), Trent Alexander-Arnold (DR), Georginio Wijnaldum (MC), Jordan Henderson (MC), Curtis Jones (MC), Sadio Mane (FWL), Mohamed Salah (FWR), Roberto Firmino (FW)

Notes: Liverpool are edging closer to health and the back line almost looks normal. Alexander-Arnold and Alisson are back in the XI, while Keita could feature after coming on midweek, though Curtis Jones is also an option.

Manchester City at Manchester United

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 v. Man United): Ederson (GK), Benjamin Mendy (DL), Ruben Dias (DC), John Stones (DC), Joao Cancelo (DR), Ilkay Gundogan (DMC), Rodri (DMC), Kevin De Bruyne (AMC), Riyad Mahrez (AMR), Raheem Sterling (AML), Gabriel Jesus (FW)

Notes: City use the same XI as last league match after most of the regulars were rested midweek. Cancelo stays in over Walker at right-back.

Manchester United v. Manchester City

Projected Lineup (4-2-1-3 v. Man City): David de Gea (GK), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR), Victor Lindelof (DC), Harry Maguire (DC), Alex Telles (DL), Nemanja Matic (DMC), Fred (DMC), Marcus Rashford (fwl), Bruno Fernandes (AMC), Mason Greenwood (FWL), Anthony Martial (FW)

Notes: There are injury questions and manager decisions for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Telles is expected to start over Shaw, while Pogba, Martial and Cavani are all battling knocks.

Newcastle United v. West Bromwich Albion

Projected Lineup (4-5-1 v. West Brom): Karl Darlow (GK), Federico Fernandez (DC), Ciaran Clark (DC), Jamal Lewis (DL), Javier Manquillo (DR), Matt Ritchie (ML), Jeff Hendrick (MC), Sean Longstaff (MC), Jonjo Shelvey (MC), Miguel Almiron (MR), Callum Wilson (FW)

Notes: Newcastle continue to deal with COVID absences but have provided almost no specifics, making the projected lineup incredibly fluid.

Sheffield United at Southampton

Projected Lineup (3-5-2 v. Southampton): Aaron Ramsdale (GK), John Egan (DC), Ethan Ampadu (DC), Chris Basham (DC), George Baldock (MR), Max Lowe (ML), Sander Berge (MC), John Fleck (MC), John Lundstram (MC), Oliver Burke (FW), Oliver McBurnie (FW)

Notes: Ampadu and Stevens could both return from injury, which would move Kean Bryan out of the XI and one of the midfielders, possibly John Lundstram. Forward remains a 50-50 decision every match.

Southampton v. Sheffield United

Projected Lineup (4-4-2 v. Sheffield): Alex McCarthy (GK), Kyle Walker-Peters (DR), Jack Stephens (DC), Jannik Vestergaard (DC), Ryan Bertrand (DL), Theo Walcott (ML), Oriol Romeu (MC), James Ward-Prowse (MC), Stuart Armstrong (MR), Che Adams (FW), Danny Ings (FW)

Notes: The return of Ings pushes Walcott to the wing and Djenepo to the bench. Otherwise, it's more of the same for Southampton.

Tottenham Hotspur at Crystal Palace

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 v. Crystal Palace): Hugo Lloris (GK), Serge Aurier (DR), Toby Alderweireld (DC), Eric Dier (DC), Sergio Reguilon (DL), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (DMC), Moussa Sissoko (DMC), Tanguy Ndombele (AMC), Steven Bergwijn (AMR), Son Heung-Min (AML), Harry Kane (FW)

Notes: Aurier could be replaced by Doherty, while Lo Celso faces competition from Ndombele. Otherwise, there's no reason to change things.

West Bromwich Albion at Newcastle United

Projected Lineup (3-5-2 v. Newcastle): Sam Johnstone (GK), Semi Ajayi (DC), Branislav Ivanovic (DC), Kyle Bartley (DC), Darnell Furlong (MR), Matthew Phillips (ML), Romaine Sawyers (MC), Conor Gallagher (MC), Filip Krovinovic (AMC), Callum Robinson (FW), Karlan Grant (FW)

Notes: Gibbs could return to the XI after a full week of training, while Robinson is back in the XI after Pereira was sent off last match. Krovinovic comes in to play more of a midfield role over Diangana.

West Ham United at Leeds United

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1 v. Leeds): Lukasz Fabianski (GK), Vladimir Coufal (DR), Angelo Ogbonna (DC), Fabian Balbuena (DC), Aaron Cresswell (DL), Declan Rice (DMC), Tomas Soucek (DMC), Jarrod Bowen (AMR), Pablo Fornals (AMC), Said Benrahma (AML), Sebastien Haller (FW)

Notes: Benrahma comes in for the injured Arthur Masuaku, moving Cresswell to left-back and the formation to a back four.

Wolverhampton v. Aston Villa

Projected Lineup (4-3-3 v. Aston Villa): Rui Patricio (GK), Willy Boly (DC), Conor Coady (DC), Fernando Marcal (DL), Nelson Semedo (DR), Joao Moutinho (MC), Leander Dendoncker (MC), Ruben Neves (MC), Adama Traore (FWR), Pedro Neto (FWL), Daniel Podence (FW)

Notes: Wolves are coming off a tough result, but they'll try and stick with the same squad against a different opponent. If not, it wouldn't be surprising if they moved on from the four-man back line, possibly pushing Dendoncker to the back line or someone like Ait-Nouri or Kilman into the XI again.