3pm team news: James benched for second straight Gameweek

Three more Premier League matches follow hot on the heels of Everton’s victory over Manchester United.

Arsenal v Brighton and Hove Albion, Southampton v Chelsea and Watford v Leeds United start at the traditional kick-off time and all feature some well-owned Fantasy Premier League (FPL) assets.

One of them, however, isn’t part of the visitors’ starting XI at St Mary’s: Reece James is named as a substitute for the second Gameweek in a row, with this latest benching coming off the back of a 90-minute run-out in midweek.

James is among four players who drop out of Thomas Tuchel’s line-up following the UEFA Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, with Jorginho and Christian Pulisic also benched and César Azpilicueta not involved after a positive Covid-19 test.

Marcos Alonso, Mateo Kovacic, Timo Werner and Ruben Loftus-Cheek come into the side.

Opponents Southampton make two alterations from the side that drew 1-1 at Leeds last Saturday, one of which is enforced because loanee Armando Broja is ineligible to face his parent club.

Ibrahima Diallo drops to the bench, as the two Armstrongs – Adam and Stuart – return.

Nuno Tavares doesn’t start at the Emirates after his poor showing at Crystal Palace on Monday, with Arsenal club media suggesting that Granit Xhaka will fill in at left-back.

Thomas Partey is out injured, meanwhile, as Gabriel Martinelli and Albert Sambi Lokonga are handed recalls.

Yves Bissouma, Enock Mwepu and Premier League debutant Moises Caicedo replace Tariq Lamptey, Solly March and Neal Maupay in Graham Potter’s starting XI, which is heavy on central midfielders.

Watford are unchanged, which means more benchings for Joshua King and Emmanuel Dennis, while Jesse Marsch’s only team tweak sees Robin Koch come in for Adam Forshaw.

GAMEWEEK 32 LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Saka, Odegaard, Lacazette, Smith-Rowe, Soares, Lokonga, Xhaka, Martinelli.

Subs: Leno, Holding, Pepe Tavares, Elneny, Nketiah, Ogungbo, Swanson, Hutchinson.

Brighton XI: Sanchez, Cucurella, Dunk, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Trossard, Mwepu, Gross, Welbeck, Caicedo, Veltman.

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Webster, Maupay, Lallana, Alzate, March, Offiah, Sarmiento.

Southampton XI: Forster, Livramento, Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, S Armstrong, Elyounoussi, A Armstrong, Adams.

Subs: Caballero, Stephens, Redmond, Perraud, Smallbone, Tella, Diallo, Walcott, Valery.

Chelsea XI: Mendy, Christensen, Silva, Rudiger, Kante, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Alonso, Mount, Werner, Havertz.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Jorginho, Pulisic, Chalobah, Niguez, Barkley, Ziyech, James, Sarr.

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

Subs: Bachmann, King, Cleverley, Masina, Cathcart, Dennis, Kalu, Sierralta, Kayemba.

Leeds XI: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Cooper, Dallas, Klich, Koch, Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison, James.

Subs: Klaesson, Struijk, Phillips, Gelhardt, Hjelde, Cresswell, Summerville, Greenwood, Kenneh.

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