<
>
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Get ESPN+

Premier League depth charts for all 20 teams: Who is key?

The Premier League season has started, and with the transfer window closed until Jan. 1 there will be no more incomings or outgoings (unless a free agent can be snapped up.)

As teams start to hit their stride and new additions from the summer become accustomed to their surroundings, it's time to take a look at where the players stand in their respective squads.

Here are depth charts of the best options for the first XI and backup XI for all 20 clubs in the league. Of course, it's hard to predict who could be called upon as the fixtures pile up, but this should give you an idea of how strong each team is.

(Note: Each player appears in the main squad list once, even if he could fit into multiple spots. We have also included injured players, though those likely to be out for the season are noted separately.)

ARSENAL

Goalkeeper: David Raya, Neto, Tommy Setford
Right-back: Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Left-back: Jurriën Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney
Centre-back: William Saliba, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Riccardo Calafiori,
Central midfield: Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Salah-Eddine Oulad M'Hand
Forward: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling
Striker: Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz

FIRST XI (4-3-3)

Raya
White - Saliba - Gabriel - Timber
Ødegaard - Partey - Rice
Saka - Havertz - Martinelli

SECOND XI (4-3-3)

Neto
Tomiyasu - Kiwior - Calafiori - Tierney
Merino - Jorginho - Zinchenko
Sterling - Gabriel Jesus - Trossard

EXTRAS: Setford, Salah-Eddine, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly

The result of Arsenal's relatively prudent transfer campaign was a further strengthening of two already potent departments: Italy defender Calafiori was brought in to compete for the left centre-back/left-back slots -- perhaps too formidable a talent to contend with sporadic shifts -- while Spain international Merino bolsters central midfield with industry, tactical expertise and physicality.

Manager Mikel Arteta might eventually choose to shift Rice to No. 6 (for Partey) for Merino to feature next to Ødegaard. Consequently Arsenal, who already had the best defensive record last season, should be even harder to break down.

Only Sterling (clearly an upgrade on Reiss Nelson, who has been loaned to Fulham) joined as an attacking reinforcement, but as long as Arteta prefers his "False No. 9" setup with Havertz, the priorities make sense. High-scoring wingers have proved an efficient recipe for Arteta, and Havertz's movement creates space for the likes of Saka, Martinelli, Trossard and Sterling to exploit.

Emerging teenage talents such as Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly can be used for further rotation, but a couple of injuries could expose the lack of depth.