3pm team news: Ronaldo starts, Jimenez injured

Three more Premier League matches get underway at the traditional 3pm kick-off time, including a juicy-looking clash between Manchester United and West Ham United.

It’s at Old Trafford where the bulk of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) interest lies, too, with highly owned players on both sides.

Above: Players sorted by FPL ownership within the top 10,000 managers in Gameweek 23

The headline team news from the north-west is that Cristiano Ronaldo is fit enough to feature – and start – despite his manager reporting on Friday that the veteran Portuguese striker had a neck problem.

In fact, there’s only one change to the Manchester United starting XI from the side that defeated Brentford 3-1 in midweek, with Harry Maguire in for the absent Victor Lindelof at centre-half.

Bruno Fernandes is once again part of a three-man midfield.

West Ham boss David Moyes has made three changes to the side that lost to Leeds United, with Alphonse Areola starting in goal in the absence of Lucasz Fabianski. Issa Diop and Nikola Vlasic drop to the bench as Tomas Soucek and Kurt Zouma return from illness and injury respectively.

Over at Elland Road, Marcelo Bielsa has made two enforced alterations to the Leeds side compared to Gameweek 22 as Diego Llorente and Rodrigo come in for the injured Junior Firpo and Adam Forshaw.

Eddie Howe’s only change sees Joe Willock replace the benched Sean Longstaff.

The stand-out news from west London is that Raul Jimenez is absent from the Wolves squad that takes on Brentford today. Fabio Silva deputises for the Mexican in attack, while Ruben Neves returns from isolation to replace the benched Francisco Trincao.

“He felt something, so we protect him. I don’t want to create problems for him in his calf, so it’s better to protect him.” – Bruno Lage on Raul Jimenez

New signing Chiquinho is among the substitutes.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank makes two changes to the Bees side that lost 3-1 to Manchester United on Wednesday, with Kristoffer Ajer and Rico Henry recalled at the expense of Mads Bech Sorensen and Mads Roerslev.

GAMEWEEK 23 LINE-UPS

Brentford XI: Lossl, Pinnock, Jansson, Ajer, Henry, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Canos, Mbeumo, Toney

Subs: Fernandez, Forss, Wissa, Ghoddos, Baptiste, Bidstrup, Sorensen, Roerslev, Stevens

Wolves XI: Sa, Kilman, Coady, Toti, Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Silva, Podence

Subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Marcal, Jordao, Trincao, Chiquinho, Giles, Traore, Cundle

Leeds United XI: Meslier, Dallas, Struijk, Llorente, Ayling, Koch, Raphinha, Klich, Rodrigo, Harrison, James

Subs: Klaesson, Roberts, Bate, Gelhardt, Hjelde, McKinstry, McCarron, Moore, Kenneh.

Newcastle United XI: Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Dummett, Willock, Shelvey, Joelinton, Fraser, Wood, Saint-Maximin.

Subs: Darlow, Clark, Lewis, Hendrick, Manquillo, Murphy, Almiron, Gayle, Longstaff.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Maguire, Ronaldo, Greenwood, Fred, Fernandes, Varane, Dalot, Telles, Elanga, McTominay.

Subs: Henderson, Jones, Mata, Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Cavani, Matic, Van de Beek.

West Ham United XI: Areola, Cresswell, Zouma, Coufal, Fornals, Antonio, Lanzini, Dawson, Bowen, Soucek, Rice.

Subs: Randolph, Yarmolenko, Vlasic, Noble, Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Johnson, Kral.

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