Here is the complete team news and statistics for all of this weekend's action in the Barclays Premier League.
Saturday, 31January 2009
Arsenal (5) v West Ham (8)
Gunners defender Mikael Silvestre (thigh) could be out for three more weeks, while Kolo Toure is pressing for a start after being on the bench at Everton. Striker Eduardo is building up his match fitness, while Theo Walcott (shoulder), captain Cesc Fabregas (knee) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring tendon) are out.
Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola must decide whether to change a winning side, with new signing Savio Nsereko pushing for a start after coming off the bench in midweek. Midfielder Kieron Dyer (muscle), striker Dean Ashton (ankle) and defender Danny Gabbidon (groin) are out.
Last season: Arsenal 2 West Ham 0, West Ham 0 Arsenal 1
Last five league matches: Arsenal D W W W D; West Ham W W D W W
Top scorers: Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) 13; Carlton Cole (West Ham) 10
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent)
Aston Villa (4) v Wigan (7)
Striker John Carew returns to the Villa squad after nearly three months out with a back problem. Fellow forward Emile Heskey will make his home debut against his former club, Craig Gardner should be fit after ankle trouble but Marlon Harewood (foot) is injured and Ashley Young is still banned.
Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland missed the midweek draw with former club Liverpool because of a back injury and manager Steve Bruce will make a late decision on whether to select him. Winger Antonio Valencia remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Last season: Aston Villa 0 Wigan 2, Wigan 1 Aston Villa 2
Last five league matches: Aston Villa D W W W W; Wigan W W L L D
Top scorers: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) 10; Amr Zaki (Wigan) 11
Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire)
Bolton (14) v Tottenham (13)
Bolton captain Kevin Nolan has joined Newcastle, while striker Johan Elmander, defenders Joey O'Brien and Nicky Hunt and midfielder Gavin McCann all remain sidelined through injury.
New Tottenham midfielder Wilson Palacios could make his debut, goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is likely to win his second start, while defender Pascal Chimbonda looks set for his first appearance back in a Spurs shirt after rejoining from Sunderland. Aaron Lennon (groin) is expected to be fit, fellow midfielder Jermaine Jenas is also closing in on a return after a calf problem but Alan Hutton (foot) is sidelined.
Last season: Tottenham 1 Bolton 1, Bolton 1 Tottenham 1
Last five league matches: Bolton L L L L D; Tottenham D L L D W
Top scorers: Kevin Davies & Matthew Taylor (Bolton) 6; Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham) 14
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Fulham (11) v Portsmouth (15)
Cottagers defender Leon Andreasen has joined Hanover 96 for family reasons, while defender Chris Baird is out with flu. Striker Diomansy Kamara (knee) has returned to light training and could be back in first-team action within a month.
The suspended Nadir Belhadj joins injured midfielders Niko Kranjcar (groin), Papa Bouba Diop (knee), Richard Hughes (hamstring) and Marc Wilson (hip) on the sidelines for Pompey. Captain Sol Campbell (hip) will be given time to prove his fitness. Boss Tony Adams is set to recall Armand Traore and Younes Kaboul but is likely to stick with a 4-4-2 formation.
Last season: Portsmouth 0 Fulham 1, Fulham 0 Portsmouth 2
Last five league matches: Fulham W D D L L; Portsmouth L L L D L
Top scorers: Andrew Johnson (Fulham) 7; Peter Crouch (Portsmouth) 13
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
Hull (10) v West Brom (20)
Hull striker Daniel Cousin is rated only 50-50 because of a knee injury. Midfielder Jimmy Bullard is set to make his first start despite missing training on Friday as the club carefully manage his past knee problems. Matt Duke is set to continue in goal ahead of Boaz Myhill but Nick Barmby (calf), Anthony Gardner (thigh) and George Boateng (knee) are out.
West Brom have fitness concerns over all six of their centre-halves - Pele and Ryan Donk may have to play even though they are both suffering from groin problems. Jonas Olsson, Leon Barnett, Abdoulaye Meite and long-term casualty Neil Clement are all unavailable but left-back Paul Robinson can play after his red card against Manchester United was rescinded.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Hull L L L L L; West Brom L W L W L
Top scorers: Daniel Cousin & Geovanni (Hull) 6; Craig Beattie & Roman Bednar (West Brom) 6
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
Man Utd (1) v Everton (6)
Wayne Rooney will return from his hamstring injury at West Ham. Patrice Evra and Nani could also return next Sunday, while manager Sir Alex Ferguson reports no fresh injury worries from the win at West Brom. Neither Wes Brown nor Rio Ferdinand have suffered any reaction to their comebacks while full-back Fabio is in contention.
Makeshift striker Tim Cahill injured his right foot against Arsenal and although X-rays have revealed only severe bruising and no break, he remains a doubt. Midfielder Marouane Fellaini injured a shin against the Gunners and manager David Moyes will not risk either player if there is any doubt.
Last season: Man Utd 2 Everton 1, Everton 0 Man Utd 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd W W W W W; Everton W W W D D
Top scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) 13; Tim Cahill (Everton) 6
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Middlesbrough (18) v Blackburn (17)
Striker Marlon King is poised to make his home debut, partnering Afonso Alves in attack as Gareth Southgate reverts to a 4-4-2 formation after the midweek defeat at Chelsea. Didier Digard and Gary O'Neil are suspended while Andrew Taylor (ankle), Jeremie Aliadiere (foot) and Josh Walker (ankle) are ruled out because of injury.
El Hadji Diouf will have to wait another week to make his Blackburn debut after failing to complete his move from Sunderland ahead of the Premier League's noon deadline. Boss Sam Allardyce names a virtually unchanged squad, as David Dunn, Keith Treacy and Steven Reid are still injured.
Last season: Blackburn 1 Middlesbrough 1, Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn 2
Last five league matches: Middlesbrough L L D L L; Blackburn W D D W D
Top scorers: Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 7; Benni McCarthy (Blackburn) 9
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Stoke (19) v Man City (9)
Ricardo Fuller, who has served a ban for slapping Stoke team-mate Andy Griffin, is set to start in place of Richard Cresswell. Liam Lawrence, who has not started a game since he sprained an ankle in September, may return on the right flank, with Amdy Faye set to step down. Griffin replaces Andy Wilkinson (foot) at right-back and Ibrahima Sonko is on stand-by for centre-back Abdoulaye Faye, who came off at Spurs with flu symptoms.
City are banking on Shaun Wright-Phillips and Pablo Zabaleta shrugging off minor knocks. Both came out of Wednesday's win over Newcastle complaining of soreness but manager Mark Hughes expects the pair to be available.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches: Stoke L L D L L; Man City L W D W W
Top scorers: James Beattie (Stoke) 13; Robinho (Man City) 12
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Liverpool (3) v Chelsea (2)
Xabi Alonso, Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera are expected to return to Liverpool's starting line-up, while Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres - withdrawn during the draw at Wigan with boss Rafael Benitez claiming they were tired - are expected to revive their attacking partnership.
Chelsea will be without defender Ricardo Carvalho, who is still troubled by a hamstring strain. Winger Salomon Kalou should be fit after sustaining a minor knock against Middlesbrough in midweek but midfielders Michael Essien (knee) and Joe Cole (knee) are sidelined.
Last season: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1
Last five league matches: Liverpool W W D D D; Chelsea W D L W W
Top scorers: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 15; Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) 17
Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire)
Newcastle (16) v Sunderland (12)
Magpies new boy Kevin Nolan will partner suspension-free Nicky Butt in midfield. Goalkeeper Shay Given has been given permission to talk to Manchester City - although he would not have played as he undergoes treatment for a knee injury, while wantaway midfielder Charles N'Zogbia (ankle) would also have been missing. Obafemi Martins (hernia), Mark Viduka (Achilles) and Claudio Cacapa (knee) are close to returns, but Michael Owen (ankle), Joey Barton (foot), Danny Guthrie (hamstring), Shola Ameobi (knee), Habib Beye (ankle) and Tamas Kadar (broken leg) are out.
Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia could be without midfielder Teemu Tainio, who is a major doubt with a knee injury sustained against Fulham. Defender Paul McShane is out with a hamstring problem but George McCartney should be fit after leaving the pitch with sore calves in midweek as he continued his comeback from a long injury lay-off. Kieran Richardson has recovered from an ankle injury but goalkeeper Craig Gordon is back in training following his long-term absence with an ankle problem, but is likely only to make the bench at best.
Last season: Newcastle 2 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 1 Newcastle 1
Last five league matches: Newcastle L L D L L; Sunderland D L D L W
Top scorers: Michael Owen (Newcastle) 10; Djibril Cisse (Sunderland) 9
Referee: Howard Webb
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