3pm team news: Lewis + Rogers start, Watkins, Digne + Gordon benched

Following the postponement of Everton v Liverpool, Gameweek 15 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) instead gets underway with three matches at 15:00 GMT.

There is plenty of interest in these fixtures from an FPL perspective, too:

After some teamsheet carnage in midweek, the high-profile benchings continue today.

Perhaps the most noteworthy come at Villa Park, where Unai Emery makes four alterations for the visit of Southampton.

It’s not Morgan Rogers dropping out, however, as some feared.

Ollie Watkins, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne and Matty Cash are instead the men to make way, with Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen and Jhon Duran taking their places.

This is Duran’s first league start of the season.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Tyler Dibling all return to Southampton’s line-up after missing out through suspension in midweek.

Ryan Fraser and Joe Aribo drop to the bench, while Jack Stephens begins a four-match ban.

There are four changes made by Pep Guardiola at Selhurst Park, too, two of which are enforced.

Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are both injured, so in come Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis.

Savinho and Matheus Nunes also oust Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish from the side.

Stefan Ortega is preferred to Ederson once more, while Kevin De Bruyne starts again.

There’s only one change for Crystal Palace and a predictable one at that: Jefferson Lerma replaces Cheick Doucoure.

Finally, at Brentford, the hosts make three alterations.

Christian Norgaard is back from injury and joins Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho in the Bees’ starting XI.

Vitaly Janelt is absent with a minor issue, while Mikkel Damsgaard and Kevin Schade warm the bench.

Fatigue likely influenced Eddie Howe’s two alterations, with Harvey Barnes and Sean Longstaff coming in for Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Maatsen, Bailey, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Durán.

Subs: Olsen, Cash, Mings, Digne, Barkley, Buendía, Onana, Watkins, Philogene.

Southampton XI: Lumley, Walker-Peters, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning, Dibling, Downes, Fernandes, Armstrong, Archer.

Subs: McCarthy, Edwards, Sugawara, Taylor, Aribo, Sulemana, Amo-Ameyaw, Brereton Díaz, Fraser.

Brentford XI: Flekken, van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter, Yarmoliuk, Nørgaard, Mbeumo, Carvalho, Wissa, Thiago.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Mee, Ajer, Roerslev, Konak, Trevitt, Maghoma, Schade, Damsgaard.

Newcastle United XI: Pope, Livramento, Schär, Burn, Hall, Longstaff, Guimarães, Joelinton, Murphy, Isak, Barnes.

Subs: Dúbravka, Trippier, Targett, Kelly, Tonali, Almirón, Wilson, Gordon, Osula.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.

Subs: Turner, Ward, Clyne, Richards, Schlupp, Kamada, Doucouré, Devenny, Nketiah.

Manchester City XI: Ortega, Lewis, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Gündoğan, Savinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Nunes, Haaland.

Subs: Ederson, Carson, Simpson-Pusey, Wilson-Esbrand, Grealish, Wright, O’Reilly, McAtee, Doku.

SIGN UP HERE FOR ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO WIN AT FPL!