All the latest team news as the clubs prepare for the new Premier League season.
Saturday, August 14th
Aston Villa v West Ham
Midfielder James Milner is in the Aston Villa squad despite being linked with Manchester City. Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald will be without injured defensive duo Carlos Cuellar (hamstring) and James Collins (calf). Curtis Davies could partner Richard Dunne if he recovers from a knee problem. Rookie Ciaran Clark, who made his first Premier League start against Fulham 12 months ago, could deputise. Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is also battling to overcome a hamstring injury in time to face the Hammers.
Thomas Hitzlsperger looks set to miss out on his West Ham debut against his former club. The midfielder, a summer signing from Lazio, suffered a thigh injury playing for Germany in midweek and is a major doubt. New manager Avram Grant could hand debuts to Mexico winger Pablo Barrera, New Zealand defender Winston Reid and his old Portsmouth pair Tal Ben-Haim and Frederic Piquionne. Midfielder Jack Collison and striker Zavon Hines (both knee) remain long-term absentees.
Last season:Aston Villa 0 West Ham 0, West Ham 2 Aston Villa 1
Match odds:H 10-11 A 10-3 D 9-4
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral)
Blackburn v Everton
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has to make a decision on whether to include new loan signing Mame Biram Diouf. The Senegal international, who scored for his country in midweek, has played only 45 minutes for his new team but did score in last weekend’s friendly victory over Hearts. Midfielder Vince Grella (calf) is the only absentee.
Tim Cahill is expected to be fit for Everton. The Australia midfielder sat out his country's defeat by Slovenia in a friendly in midweek because of a slight knee problem. Victor Anichebe is ruled out through injury and former Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford could be on the bench.
Last season:Blackburn 2 Everton 3, Everton 3 Blackburn 0
Match odds:H 15-8 A 6-4 D 11-5
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Bolton v Fulham
Zat Knight is in line to face his old club Fulham after recovering from a hip problem. Knight sat out last week’s friendly against Osasuna but is available to play against his former employers. New signing Martin Petrov has impressed in pre-season and is set to make his debut as part of the starting XI selected by manager Owen Coyle, who has a fully-fit squad to choose from.
Fulham manager Mark Hughes has three main injury worries. Mark Schwarzer (back), Dickson Etuhu (illness) and Paul Konchesky (ankle) will all have fitness tests tomorrow morning before the game at the Reebok Stadium. The only other absentees from Hughes' squad are long-term injury victims Philippe Senderos (Achilles), Andy Johnson (knee) and Diomansy Kamara (foot).
Last season:Bolton 0 Fulham 0, Fulham 1 Bolton 1
Match odds:H 23-20 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee:Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Chelsea v West Brom
Petr Cech and Alex have both overcome calf injuries in time to be fit to face West Brom Full-back Jose Bosingwa is out with a knee injury while the Blues will give a late fitness test to Frank Lampard, who picked up an ankle knock while on England duty in midweek. Didier Drogba (groin), will also be fit to take on the Baggies after he had to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench in last week’s Community Shield.
West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans is winning his fight to be fit following a groin strain. Manager Roberto Di Matteo is set to hand debuts to left-back Nicky Shorey and central defender Pablo Ibanez. Goalkeeper Scott Carson, who will again skipper team this season, faces a challenge from Boaz Myhill following his arrival from Hull. Carson is expected to get the nod to start at Stamford Bridge with Ishmael Miller poised to lead the attack as a lone striker ahead of Roman Bednar.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Match odds:H 1-8 A 14-1 D 5-1
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Sunderland v Birmingham
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will make a late decision on Darren Bent’s fitness after the striker had to withdraw from the England squad in midweek following a back spasm. New signing Danny Welbeck and youngster Martyn Waghorn will hope to start up front while Simon Mignolet is certain to be given the nod in goal with Craig Gordon sidelined by a broken arm. Titus Bramble, Nedum Onouha, Marcos Angeleri, Paulo da Silva and Cristian Riveros will all hope to make their debuts but Andy Reid (Achilles) is out and George McCartney and Anton Ferdinand have not been given squad numbers.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is hopeful goalkeeper Ben Foster will have recovered from a back spasm to make his debut. Serbia striker Nikola Zigic is also included in the squad. Defender Stuart Parnaby has been declared fit meaning veteran striker Kevin Phillips is the only major absentee with a torn thigh muscle.
Last season:Sunderland 3 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 2 Sunderland 1
Match odds:H 23-20 A 5-2 D 11-5
Referee:Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Tottenham v Man City
Tottenham will be without David Bentley (ankle), Jamie O’Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin). Danny Rose (thigh strain) is doubtful but manager Harry Redknapp is hopeful that Ledley King will be fit to start, providing his suspect knee suffered no reaction to today’s training session. Bentley is set to resume training on Monday after suffering his ankle injury in Tottenham’s first pre-season friendly at Bournemouth.
Roberto Mancini must decide between Joe Hart and Shay Given for the goalkeeping slot. Both men have indicated they would be uncomfortable in the position of back-up and Hart's newly-acquired England status is at risk if he ends up as City's number two. Mancini may do without the services of new signings David Silva and Jerome Boateng but still has a wealth of talent to choose from, including Yaya Toure and Aleksander Kolarov, who are set for their debuts.
Last season:Man City 0 Tottenham 1, Tottenham 3 Man City 0
Match odds:H 11-8 A 2-1 D 9-4
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands)
Wigan v Blackpool
Defender Gary Caldwell is Wigan’s only absentee. The centre-back underwent two hip operations in the summer and is still at least six weeks away from a comeback. Fellow defenders Steve Gohouri and Maynor Figueroa have both recovered from knocks sustained in last weekend’s friendly victory over Dundee United and are fit to start.
New signings Craig Cathcart and Marlon Harewood could be set for their Blackpool debuts. Fellow new recruits Ludovic Sylvestre and Elliot Grandin also in contention. Keith Southern misses out after picking up a knee injury in pre-season, as does Louis Almond with a shoulder problem and Billy Clarke who has suffered cruciate ligament damage in his knee.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Match odds:H 3-4 A 4-1 D 12-5
Referee:Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Wolves v Stoke
Kevin Doyle is a major doubt for Wolves’ clash with Stoke at Molineux. The striker is struggling with bleeding in his calf, an injury which ruled him out of the Republic of Ireland’s friendly against Argentina on Wednesday. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is on alert to partner Steven Fletcher in attack following his summer move from Burnley. Left-back Jelle Van Damme will also make his bow after his arrival from Anderlecht.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis will make a late decision on whether to pitch new striker Kenwyne Jones straight into the starting line-up after he joined from Sunderland. But it is in midfield where the Potters are light, with Salif Diao opting not to sign a new deal, Liam Lawrence out with a groin strain and Glenn Whelan struggling with a calf injury. Defender Abdoulaye Faye is also a major concern with a hamstring injury collected in a recent pre-season friendly.
Last season:Wolves 0 Stoke 0, Stoke 2 Wolves 2
Match odds:H 13-10 A 11-5 D 11-5}
Referee:Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
Sunday, August 15th
Liverpool v Arsenal
Striker Fernando Torres is in contention for a place in the Liverpool squad. The Spain international sustained an adductor injury in their World Cup final victory but has made good progress in his rehabilitation and could feature at Anfield. Want-away midfielder Javier Mascherano could also play as the club have not received any bids for the Argentina captain, who has impressed manager Roy Hodgson with his attitude in training. The match may be too early for Christian Poulsen, who only signed yesterday.
Arsenal will assess the match fitness of World Cup finalists Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie. Midfielders Alex Song (both calf) and Denilson (abdominal) face late checks, so England youngster Jack Wilshere could start. Summer signings Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny are in the squad, but Johan Djourou (hamstring), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Aaron Ramsey (broken leg) are all sidelined.
Last season:Arsenal 1 Liverpool 0, Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2
Match odds:H 11-8 A 13-8 D 21-10
Referee:Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Monday, August 16th
Man Utd v Newcastle
Wayne Rooney will be looking to score his first goal since March when Manchester United open their campaign against Newcastle. Rooney scored 34 goals for the Old Trafford outfit last year but has not found the net for club or country since opening the scoring in United’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena. New signing Javier Hernandez may have to be content with a place on the bench after a midweek trip to Mexico for the friendly draw with Spain.
Newcastle manager Chris Hughton is confident striker Andy Carroll will have recovered from his back problem. The 21-year-old suffered the injury in the Magpies' final pre-season friendly against Rangers but has trained this week. Alan Smith (ankle) is also available but striker Leon Best and defender Danny Simpson are facing spells on the sidelines with similar problems. Sol Campbell is not match-fit while defender Steven Taylor (shoulder) and new signing Dan Gosling (knee) are long-term absentees.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Match odds:H 1-5 A 10-1 D 4-1
Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside)