Arsenal flop Eze headlines Premier League underplayed XI
Arsenal 's Eberechi Eze is one of many Premier League stars who will feel aggrieved by their lack of playing time. Competition for places is fiercer than ever, and we've looked at those who haven't played enough in the early months of 2026/27.
Including Premier League players with fewer than 140 minutes in the top flight this season, here is the strongest XI… GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili (Liverpool) Withzero minutesto his name in the Premier League or Champions League this term, Mamardashvili gets the nod ahead of a bunch of second-choice goalkeepers,mainly because he is arguably the best back-up Our League has to offer. Alisson Becker (who has really not been great this season) is one of those rare injury-prone goalkeepers, so Mamardashvili's chance will likely come this side of Christmas.
RB: Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal) What would one of these XIs be without a midfielder crowbarred in as a full-back? Zubimendi has filled in at right-back for Arsenal before, for what it's worth.
The Spanish international was Arsenal's most-used player until the run-in last season, losing his starting spot to Myles Lewis-Skelly. The Hale End graduate took his chance and, just like that, was starting in a Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Zubimendi's prospects only became bleaker following the summer signing of Bruno Guimaraes, and now a fine player is rocking the bench and being linked with an exit. It's a real shame, but that's the nature of the beast.
He won't be happy with only94 minutesso far this season. CB: Tosin Adarabioyo (Tottenham) Before Tottenham's first win of the season over Coventry on Monday, summer signing Tosin had racked up five minutes of league action for his new club.
Having started in a long-awaited win for Roberto De Zerbi's side, we can't imagine the ex-Chelsea defender will drop out of the XI, which means he will surely drop out of this XI if/when we decide to revisit it. Tosin has shot up from five minutes to76 minutesfor the season after a win that should kick-start Spurs' season.
We'll see about that… CB: Omar Alderete (Sunderland) After an excellent maiden Premier League campaign, Alderete has been used sparingly by Regis Le Bris in 2026/27, and when he has played, he's shown exactly why he has been relegated to the bench. In only82 minutes, Alderete has managed two errors leading to a goal, the joint-most in the Premier League alongside… Sunderland centre-back Kevin Danso.
No wonder they'rebottom… LB: Rico Lewis (Manchester City) Tuesday was a big night for Lewis, who assisted fellow City academy graduate Phil Foden twice in the 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens. Yet, only three days before, Lewis wasn't even in the squad as Enzo Maresca heavily rotated for the visit of Ipswich in the league.