Team news | Swansea City v Southampton

Flynn Downes captains Swansea City in their FA Cup third-round tie against Southampton as Russell Martin’s side return to action.

The midfielder leads the side for the first time, while there are five changes from the last fixture against Nottingham Forest on December 11.

Brandon Cooper, Kyle Naughton, Liam Walsh, Liam Cullen and Michael Obafemi come into the side in place of Ben Cabango, Ethan Laird, Matt Grimes, Olivier Ntcham and Jamie Paterson.

Youngster Azeem Abdulai is among the substitutes for the hosts, as are Grimes and Ntcham.

Ben Hamer starts in goal, with Ryan Bennett, Downes and Cooper expected to line up in a three-man defence.

Naughton and Ryan Manning will be the wing-backs, while Walsh joins Korey Smith in the Swansea midfield.

Cullen and Joel Piroe will provide support for Obafemi as the striker faces his former club, with head coach Russell Martin having plenty of flexibility when it comes to the versatility of his line-up.

Swansea City: Ben Hamer; Ryan Bennett, Flynn Downes (captain), Brandon Cooper; Kyle Naughton, Korey Smith, Liam Walsh, Ryan Manning; Joel Piroe, Liam Cullen; Michael Obafemi.

Substitutes: Steven Benda, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes, Olivier Ntcham, Yan Dhanda, Jake Bidwell, Dan Williams, Rhys Williams, Azeem Abdulai.

Southampton: Fraser Forster, Jack Stephens, Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse (captain), Nathan Redmond, Romain Perraud, Stuart Armstrong, Armando Broja, Nathan Tella, Jan Bednarek, Yan Valery.

Substitutes: Willy Caballero, Lyanco Vojnovic, Shane Long, Adam Armstrong, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Ibrahima Diallo, Dynel Simeu, Kgaogelo Chauke, Kazeem Olaigbe.