The latest team news ahead of this weekend's Premier League fixtures.
Saturday, August 28th
Blackburn (10) v Arsenal (2)
Blackburn midfielder David Dunn resumed training this week after suffering a groin injury during the season-opening victory over Everton and could feature. Gael Givet is expected to play after losing a tooth in the Carling Cup win over Norwich but Keith Andrews is absent with a groin problem.
Arsenal will have midfielder Denilson back in the squad after an abdominal injury. Centre-half Laurent Koscielny is available after suspension but new signing Sebastien Squillaci is not expected to be involved and Samir Nasri (knee), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Aaron Ramsey (broken leg) remain sidelined.
Last season:Blackburn 2 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 6 Blackburn 2
Last five league matches:Blackburn D W W W L; Arsenal D L W D W
Top scorers:Nikola Kalinic, Steven Nzonzi (Blackburn) 1; Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 3
Match odds:H 5-1 A 4-7 D 14-5
Referee:Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Blackpool (11) v Fulham (14)
Blackpool defender Ian Evatt is available again for the club’s first home match in the Premier League after missing the Carling Cup defeat by MK Dons through suspension. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka remains sidelined after having an operation on his knee, as is striker Jason Euell.
Fulham could pair Moussa Dembele with Bobby Zamora in attack. Dembele marked his full debut with a goal against Port Vale on Wednesday and is pushing for another start. Fellow new signing Rafik Halliche could make his bow in defence, but goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (back) may miss out again, while Philippe Senderos (Achilles), Andrew Johnson (knee) and Diomansy Kamara (foot) are long-term injury absentees.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Blackpool W W D W L; Fulham W L L D D
Top scorers:Marlon Harewood (Blackpool) 2; Simon Davies & Brede Hangeland (Fulham) 1
Match odds:H 11-5 A 13-10 D 11-5
Referee:Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Chelsea (1) v Stoke (18)
Brazil midfielder Ramires could make his debut for Chelsea, although he is likely to start on the bench. Branislav Ivanovic is a doubt with a back problem and Jeffrey Bruma is recovering from a hernia operation while Gael Kakuta has a back injury.
Stoke striker Kenwyne Jones has an "outside chance", according to manager Tony Pulis, of featuring after suffering an ankle injury on the opening day of the season at Wolves. Pulis also hopes Liam Lawrence will have recovered from his groin injury, while Mamady Sidibe is a long-term absentee having ruptured his Achilles tendon.
Last season:Chelsea 7 Stoke 0, Stoke 1 Chelsea 2
Last five league matches:Chelsea W W W W W; Stoke D W L L L
Top scorers:Florent Malouda & Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 3; Abdoulaye Faye & Ricardo Fuller (Stoke) 1
Match odds:H 1-10 A 20-1 D 17-2
Referee:Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Man Utd (3) v West Ham (19)
Wayne Rooney, who has not scored since March, is set to return for United having missed Sunday’s draw at Fulham with a virus. He has trained all week and is virtually certain to make Alex Ferguson’s starting line-up. Rio Ferdinand and Anderson are both nearing a return to first-team duties after respective knee ligament injuries, although neither will be considered to face Avram Grant’s men.
West Ham are waiting to discover whether they can include new signing Victor Obinna in their squad. England internationals Carlton Cole, Robert Green and Kieron Dyer are all set to return after being rested for the Carling Cup win over Oxford. Manager Avram Grant is hopeful Matthew Upson will be fit after a blow to the face in the 3-1 defeat to Bolton but midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger remains out with a thigh injury.
Last season:Man Utd 3 West Ham 0, West Ham 0 Man Utd 4
Last five league matches:Man Utd W W W W D; West Ham W L D L L
Top scorers:Dimitar Berbatov, Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes (Man Utd) 1; Mark Noble (West Ham) 1
Match odds:H 1-8 A 20-1 D 7-1
Referee:Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Tottenham (8) v Wigan (20)
Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes faces a short spell out after injuring his groin in Wednesday’s Champions League play-off win over Young Boys, so Carlo Cudicini will deputise. Luka Modric (groin) is still sidelined along with fellow midfielder David Bentley (ankle), who is set to resume training on Monday.
Wigan will be without Victor Moses for two to three weeks after the England Under-21 international damaged ankle ligaments in the midweek Carling Cup victory over Hartlepool. Steven Caldwell is set to make his league debut for the club but his brother Gary remains sidelined following hip surgery.
Last season:Wigan 0 Tottenham 3, Tottenham 9 Wigan 1
Last five league matches:Tottenham W W L D W; Wigan L D L L L
Top scorers:Gareth Bale (Tottenham) 2; no scorers (Wigan)
Match odds:H 1-4 A 11-1 D 9-2
Referee:Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Wolves (7) v Newcastle (9)
Wolves’ Michael Mancienne, signed for a third loan spell from Chelsea, is likely to be amongst the substitutes. Defender Ronald Zubar is pushing for a recall after recovering from injury.
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton will turn to his big guns once again after resting the entire starting XI from last Sunday's 6-0 demolition of Aston Villa for the midweek Carling Cup trip to Accrington Stanley. Xisco (groin) and Danny Guthrie (knee) will miss out and Sol Campbell is still working on his match fitness, while Danny Simpson, Leon Best (both ankle), Steven Taylor (shoulder) and Dan Gosling (knee) remain sidelined.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Wolverhampton D L W W D; Newcastle W D W L W
Top scorers:Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, David Jones & Steven Fletcher (Wolves) 1; Andy Carroll (Newcastle) 3
Match odds:H 7-5 A 2-1 D 11-5
Referee:Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Sunday, August 29th
Aston Villa (12) v Everton (16)
Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is doubtful after suffering what was described as “tight calves” during the Europa League exit at the hands of Rapid Vienna last night. Fellow forward John Carew (knee) will also be assessed after he missed the 3-2 reversal along with defender Richard Dunne (back), but left-back Stephen Warnock and midfielder Stewart Downing will come back into the equation after being rested.
Everton captain Phil Neville has missed the last two games and is again doubtful with a foot injury. Forward Victor Anichebe is still sidelined with a knee problem while defender Joseph Yobo is also unlikely to be available due to a thigh strain.
Last season:Aston Villa 2 Everton 2, Everton 1 Aston Villa 1
Last five league matches:Aston Villa W L L W L; Everton W D W L D
Top scorers:Stewart Downing & Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa) 1; Tim Cahill (Everton) 1
Match odds:H 6-4 A 15-8 D 15-8
Referee:Michael Jones (Cheshire)
Bolton (5) v Birmingham (6)
Bolton will assess the fitness of striker Ivan Klasnic, who was substituted due to a thigh strain after scoring the winner in the midweek Carling Cup win over Southampton. Sean Davis is being kept on the sidelines as a precaution for up to two months after feeling some discomfort in his knee.
Birmingham will check on the fitness of forward James McFadden, who was replaced at half-time in last night's 3-2 Carling Cup win over Rochdale. McLeish made eight changes for the cup win and the likes of Ben Foster, Stephen Carr and Barry Ferguson can all expect to return but Kevin Phillips (thigh) remains sidelined.
Last season:Bolton 2 Birmingham 1, Birmingham 1 Bolton 2
Last five league matches:Bolton D L W D W; Birmingham L W L D W
Top scorers:Johan Elmander (Bolton) 2; Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 2
Match odds:H 11-10 A 13-5 D 11-5
Referee:Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Liverpool (17) v West Brom (13)
Striker Fernando Torres and captain Steven Gerrard are both set to return for Liverpool. Torres was rested for the Europa League trip to Turkey while Gerrard had a back problem which he should recover from in time. Daniel Agger (concussion) and Milan Jovanovic (rested) are also in line for recalls but Maxi Rodriguez (illness) remains a doubt.
West Brom will be without defender Marek Cech (fractured metatarsal) for at least three weeks. Midfielder Jerome Thomas (foot), defender Joe Mattock (foot) and striker Ishmael Miller (thigh) will also miss the Baggies' trip to Anfield.
Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:Liverpool W L D D L; West Brom W D D L W
Top scorers:David Ngog (Liverpool) 1; Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) 1
Match odds:H 1-5 A 14-1 D 5-1
Referee:Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
Sunderland (15) v Man City (4)
Sunderland will be without defender Nedum Onuoha because he is ineligible to face his parent club under the terms of his loan deal, and Anton Ferdinand and Phil Bardsley will be among those hoping to replace him. John Mensah (hamstring), George McCartney (ankle), Craig Gordon (fractured arm) and David Meyler (knee) are still on the sidelines.
England midfielder James Milner will return to the Manchester City squad after sitting out the Europa League victory over Timisoara last night due to not being registered in time. Striker Mario Balotelli could be back after a knee problem but Aleksandar Kolarov, Jerome Boateng and Wayne Bridge remain sidelined through injury.
Last season:Sunderland 1 Man City 1, Man City 4 Sunderland 3
Last five league matches:Sunderland W L L D L; Man City W L D D W
Top scorers:Darren Bent (Sunderland) 1; Carlos Tevez (Man City) 2
Match odds:H 3-1 A 10-11 D 12-5
Referee:Mike Dean (Wirral)