Highlights

• Premier League teams would have different lineups in a five-a-side division, with an emphasis on technical brilliance and other qualities.
• Some teams, like Luton and Sheffield United, are predicted to struggle in a five-a-side format due to a lack of goal-scoring ability.
• Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal are considered the strongest teams in a five-a-side Premier League.

During a season, Premier League fans have become accustomed to seeing teams line up in a certain way. Sure, there are a few changes here and there, but it’s usually the same 11 faces who take to the pitch every week.

But what would teams look like if the English top flight was a five-a-side division? Small-sided games are incredibly different to your usual matches. There is an emphasis on technical brilliance, with pace and other attributes becoming less important. And the rules are slightly different too:

• The ball is not allowed over head height
• Slide tackles are forbidden
• Each team must have a goalkeeper and they can’t come out of the area
• Outfield players are not allowed in the area
• They can score from anywhere outside the area

But which five players would make up their club's team? GIVEMESPORT thought we would select the five players at every club who would be best suited to the game, before then predicting where each team would finish in a five-a-side Premier League table. Be sure to let us know if you would make any changes to any of the teams in our social media comments, and feel free to tell us who you think is the strongest quintet of the lot.

20 Luton

Bottom of the table and we’re not sure it’s even debatable. Luton might be solid at the back with Thomas Kaminski and Mads Andersen, but we just have no faith that they will score any goals against other teams. Carlton Morris is their best hope up front, and we've thrown in Elijah Adebayo alongside him to boost their chances of scoring. Marvelous Nakamba acts as the midfield general, but would this team do a job against the other Premier League teams? Not in our eyes.

19 Sheffield United

The Blades are one spot better off than bottom-place Luton, although not by much. This team would have some trouble, especially in attack where goals and creativity are lacking. We’ve gone for two up top again to try and increase the likelihood of them scoring, with Gustavo Hamer playing the role of creator and defender in the engine room. Considering how many goals they’ve conceded with four defenders in the team, we expect Sheffield United to really struggle with just one man in front of Wes Foderingham.

18 Nottingham Forest

They might be doing well so far this season, but Forest are completing the relegation zone in our five-a-side league. Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi are good creators to have, and Taiwo Awoniyi should bring some goals, but the defence and goalkeeper do not fill us with confidence. We’d expect them to leak many more goals than they would score, so for that reason, they’re in the bottom three.

17 Bournemouth

Neto’s shot-stopping and ball-playing abilities make him well-suited for five-a-side game, while Marcos Senesi is also comfortable on the ball and capable of creating chances. Philip Billing’s frame, along with his composure, make him a good option in the middle of the pitch, with Marcus Tavernier providing skill going forward. Dominic Solanke will be the one grabbing all the goals - it’s not like there’s much of an alternative.

16 Everton

Pickford would fancy his chances of coming out of goal to play with his feet, and in front of him is the veteran Ashley Young. Maybe not as quick as he was in his prime, but still capable of snuffing out danger and playing a killer pass or two. Amadou Onana’s dribbling will help get him out of tight spaces, but we’re not convinced about the attacking duo of Arnaut Danjuma and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Not bad options at all, just not great compared to the rest of the teams.

15 Burnley

Vincent Kompany’s side might be struggling in the league right now, but we reckon they would do ok for themselves in a small-sided division. James Trafford is good in goal, while Sander Berge acts as the defensive enforcer in front of him. Both Luca Koleosho and Zeki Amdouni have shown glimpses of what they are capable of so far this season, and Lyle Foster brings the goals. They should be clear of relegation, but they might struggle to do better than the teams above.

14 Fulham

This looks like a really solid team. Bernd Leno goes in goal, and while Joao Palhinha is a midfielder by trade, his tenacious tackling, passing and energy make him well-suited to being a five-a-side defender. Andreas Pereira and Alex Iwobi bring the creativity as does Willian, who gets the nod over all of Fulham’s misfiring forwards due to his flair. Goals might be hard to come by, but they should certainly have enough for a mid-table finish.

13 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Max Kilman has represented England at Futsal so you'd think he'd be class in this tournament. He plays ahead of Wolves' No.1, Sa, a solid enough backline. Lemina acts as the enforcer in the middle, with Pedro Neto and Matheus Cunha leading the line. Goals have been hard to come by for both men, though, so that might hold them back in this competition.

12 Crystal Palace

This team would have been so much higher if they still had Wilfried Zaha on their books. Not that this is a bad lineup at all, he’s just perfectly suited to a small-sided game. Sam Johnstone is a good option in goal, and while you could pick either Marc Guess or Joachim Andersen in defence, we think the former just about gets it. Jordan Ayew is a decent option up front, but the real stars here are Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze. Quick feet, goals, and creativity in abundance.

11 Brentford

While Mark Flekken is more than capable of playing five-a-side, you can’t help but feel this team would be much stronger with David Raya in it. Nathan Collins is a capable defender who can hold up most attackers he comes up against, but the remaining trio really help Brentford out. Christian Norgaard is so well-rounded in defence and attack, Bryan Mbeumo possesses the necessary flair, and Ivan Toney… Well, you know what he brings.

10 Aston Villa

Emi Martinez is more than capable with his feet and is the natural choice in goal, while Pau Torres offers the right balance of passing and defensive nous to get in ahead of Aston Villa’s other options. Emi Buendia and Moussa Diaby both offer flair and the ability to work in confined spaces, and Ollie Watkins just has to make it in because of his finishing ability. Maybe not the strongest team but still a good one.

9 Brighton

There’s not much between either goalkeeper option, with both men decent in-between the posts. We’ve gone for Jason Steele purely because we’ve seen more of him, but the rest of this team is definitely a solid five-man side. Every man offers outstanding technical ability, while Evan Ferguson is a goal machine. It says a lot that the likes of Joao Pedro, Solly March, Billy Gilmour and more all miss out here, but we still think there are stronger teams.

8 West Ham

A dark horse in this tournament? We certainly think so. Lukasz Fabianski isn’t the strongest option in goal, but a defender like Kurt Zouma makes things more difficult for attackers. The rest of the team is excellent, however. Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus are dynamic attackers with tricks and flair to help them out in tight spaces, and Jarrod Bowen is a good option up front. A contender for a place in Europe in our eyes.

7 Chelsea

Robert Sanchez is not a bad option to have in goal, with the Spaniard a good shot-stopper and decent with his feet. In front of him, Thiago Silva possesses the defensive awareness and technical ability to dominate a game of five-a-side, where his pace becomes less of a problem. Enzo Fernandez and Raheem Sterling supporting Nicolas Jackson up front completes a mean five-man team. It’s one that should be at the top of the table, but it will probably only manage a top-half finish.

6 Tottenham

Tottenham’s new shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario gets the nod in goal after a promising start to the season. Cristian Romero would be great in a confined space, although he could be guilty of a rash challenge here or there. The remaining trio, though, would be excellent. James Maddison’s creativity paired with Yves Bissouma’s energy would make them an excellent duo, while Son Heung-min’s finishing and footwork are up there with the best attackers on this list. Dejan Kulusevski is unfortunate to miss out.

5 Manchester United

Andre Onana might not have had the best start to life in England, but his passing makes him well-suited to a small-sided match. Casemiro acting as a sweeper in defence is ideal, especially because there’s less distance for him to cover. And while he might not be in his manager’s good graces right now, Jadon Sancho is perfect for five-a-side. Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford are pretty good on the ball too, putting this team up there with the best.

4 Newcastle

The thought of Nick Pope playing in a small-sided goal is brilliant, and it would take something special to beat him. Kieran Trippier as Newcastle’s lone defender might lead to them getting caught out at points, but his ability on the ball makes him a must. Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron in this team would be brilliant, and Alexander Isak is a decent option up front.

3 Arsenal

Calling who would finish where out of this top three was so difficult, with each five-man team absolutely superb. Starting with our bronze medalist, many of Arsenal’s squad are perfect for a small-sided game. We’ve gone for Aaron Ramsdale over David Raya in goal, purely because of his ball-playing abilities, although you could make a case for the latter too. William Saliba gets the nod in defence, showing off his fancy footwork in the Champions League recently, and the front three pick themselves, with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus technical brilliance personified. Gabriel Martinelli can feel hard done by not to make the cut.

2 Liverpool

This team would take some beating. Alisson is tough to beat in a normal-sized goal so imagine him in a smaller one. Trent Alexander-Arnold will be required to defend in this team, but he would be brilliant with the ball at his feet, playing almost like a quarterback. Thiago is just made for five-a-side, while Diaz and Salah would form an incredible duo. It says a lot that the likes of Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai miss out.

1 Manchester City

Imagine turning up at your local five-a-side and seeing these five players on the opposite side of the pitch. Ederson is probably the best ball-playing goalkeeper in world football while Rodri is more than capable of defending by himself while playing a role in the build-up too. Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are incredible in tight spaces, even managing to keep Mateo Kovacic out of the team, while the thought of Erling Haaland sprinting around the small pitch and smashing in goals is hilarious. Of course they were going to be top.

You can check out our full table below. Be sure to let us know if you would change any of the teams or their places in the league.