Sunday team news: Kulusevski benched, key Chelsea assets all start

Two more top-flight matches kick off at 2pm BST this afternoon and there is plenty of interest from a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) perspective, particularly where Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are concerned.

The Lilywhites are at home against a much-changed Leicester City, while Thomas Tuchel’s troops are on the road again at relegation-threatened Everton.

Where Jurgen Klopp perhaps rotated more than we thought he would yesterday, Tuchel has taken the opposite approach, making only one change to his starting XI to make light of the 64-hour turnaround between trips to Old Trafford and Goodison Park.

The Chelsea head coach’s sole alteration is even enforced, with the injured N’Golo Kante replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek in midfield.

The teamsheet of opponents Everton shows two changes, with Yerry Mina and Fabian Delph replacing Michael Keane and Allan.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is among the substitutes after recovering from injury.

In north London, there are nine alterations across the two teams – but only one for the hosts.

It’s a significant one, too, as popular mid-price FPL midfielder Dejan Kulusevski drops out of the Spurs line-up for the first time since Gameweek 25.

Lucas Moura takes the Swede’s place and joins Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in the three-man Lilywhites attack.

“It’s rotation. When you have the possibility to change good players, you do. It is a normal rotation.” – Antonio Conte on dropping Dejan Kulusevski

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has made eight changes to his side, clearly with one eye on Thursday’s UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final, second-leg tie against Roma, 

Kasper Schmeichel, Timothy Castagne and Marc Albrighton are the only three players who started against Jose Mourinho’s side on Thursday who keep their places, with James Maddison and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall missing out altogether.

Rodgers said the two Leicester midfielders have both been left at home as a precaution – a tight calf for Dewsbury-Hall, a hip issue for Maddison – but the reality is probably that the pair are being wrapped up in cotton wool for Italy.

Jamie Vardy, Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes are among the substitutes.

GAMEWEEK 35 LINE-UPS

Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Holgate, Mykolenko, Delph Doucoure, Gray, Iwobi, Gordon, Richarlison

Subs: Begovic, Kenny, Branthwaite, Keane, Allan, Davies, Alli, Rondón, Calvert-Lewin

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Rudiger, Silva, Alonso, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Havertz, Werner

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Sarr, Chalobah, Kovacic, Pulisic, Ñíguez, Ziyech, Kenedy, Lukaku

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Emerson Royal, Bentacour, Hojbjerg, Sessegnon, Lucas Moura, Kane, Son Heung-min

Subs: Sanchez, Craig, Kulusevski, Scarlett, White, Gollini, Bergwijn, Winks, Rodon

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Amartey, Soyuncu, Thomas, Mendy, Soumaré, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Pérez, Daka

Subs: Ward, Justin, Fofana, Brunt, Choudhury, Tielemans, Barnes, Lookman, Vardy