3pm team news: Digne returns as Zaha and Broja are benched

Following a narrow 1-0 win for a much-changed Liverpool at Newcastle, there are four more Premier League games kicking off at 3pm BST.

Southampton v Crystal Palace, Watford v Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton and Hove Albion all get underway at the traditional kick-off time but the main attraction from a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) perspective is Aston Villa v Norwich City.

Three of the most-bought players of Gameweek 35 are on Villa’s books and all of them – Philippe Coutinho, Matthew Cash and Ollie Watkins – start this afternoon.

So too does Lucas Digne, who has made a remarkable return to fitness from a collarbone injury; Steven Gerrard had said only recently that the French left-back only had an “outside chance” of featuring again in 2021/22.

Teenager Tim Iroegbunam and centre-half Calum Chambers are also handed starts as Douglas Luiz, Ezri Konsa and Ashley Young drop to the bench.

Two of Dean Smith’s two changes are enforced as an injured Christoph Zimmermann misses out and Kenny McLean pulled up in the warm-up. Full-backs Max Aarons and Brandon Williams and midfielder Billy Gilmour come into the side as Dimitris Giannoulis makes way.

It’s one change apiece at St Mary’s: Romain Perraud comes in for the injured Tino Livramento for Southampton, while Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha has surprisingly been benched to allow Jeffrey Schlupp a recall.

Armando Broja is once again only a substitute.

In the six-pointer at Vicarage Road, Roy Hodgson recalls Juraj Kucka, Kiko Femenia – both of whom are back from injury – and Joao Pedro, with Jeremy Ngakia, Joshua King and Tom Cleverley dropping out.

Burnley interim boss Mike Jackson had seen fit to replace last week’s goalscorer Matej Vydra with Aaron Lennon in his one and only change but Jay Rodriguez picked up an injury in the warm-up and the Czech striker was reinstated. Maxwel Cornet is again ruled out with a knee problem.

As is the case with Digne, Ruben Neves has defied his manager’s predictions to make a playing return in Gameweek 35. He and Rayan Ait-Nouri come into the Wolves starting XI as Jonny and Raul Jimenez drop to the bench.

There are two changes for opponents Brighton too as Adam Webster and Neal Maupay drop to the bench and Solly March and Yves Bissouma come in.

GAMEWEEK 35 LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI : Martinez, Cash, Chambers, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Iroegbunam, Ramsey, Baily Coutinho Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Konsa, Douglas Luiz, Buendia, Traore, Young, Nakamba, Ings, Chukwuemeka.

Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Byram, Hanley, Williams, Normann, Gilmour, Dowell, Lees-Melou, Rashica, Pukki.

Subs: Gunn, Gibson, Rupp, Placheta, Sorensen, Sargent, Giannoulis, Rowe.

Southampton XI: Forster, Walker-Peters, Salisu, Bednarek, Perraud, Ward-Prowse, Tella, Romeu, Redmond, Long, Adams.

Subs: Lyanco, Valery, A. Armstrong, S. Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Broja, Djenepo, Smallbone, Caballero.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Guehi, Andersen, Clyne, Ward, Eze, Mateta, Gallagher, McArthur, Zaha, Ayew.

Subs: Mitchell, Tomkins, Olise, Kouyate, Zaha, Hughes, Benteke, Edouard, Butland.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Samir, Kamara, Sissoko, Louza, Kucka, Sarr, Joao Pedro, Dennis.

Subs: Bachmann, Ngakia, Ekong, King, Masina, Sema, Gosling, Kalu, Kayembe.

Burnley XI: Pope, Roberts, Collins, Tarkowski, Taylor, McNeil, Cork, Brownhill, Lennon, Vydra, Weghorst.

Subs: Hennessey, Lowton, Barnes, Stephens, Bardsley, Long, Thomas, Costelloe.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Boly, Coady, Silva, Semedo, Hwang, Saiss, Moutinho, Dendoncker.

Subs: Ruddy, Marcal, Neto, Jimenez, Trincao, Jonny, Chiquinho, Toti, Cundle.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Sanchez, Cucurella, Dunk, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Trossard, Mwepu, Welbeck, March, Caicedo, Veltman.

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Webster, Maupay, Gros, Lallana, Alzate, Duffy, Ferguson.

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